


The Place

by WordsOfMyReality



Category: Orange is the New Black
Genre: 1800 lesbians, AU, Alternate Universe, Bed and Breakfast, Café, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Party, Coffee Shop, Dachador, Dogs, Dreams, F/F, Lesbian, New Beginnings, Presents, Restaurants, Thanksgiving, Town History, dachshund, donovan manor, dreams realized, laborador, small town
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-21
Updated: 2018-10-09
Packaged: 2019-07-14 23:58:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 37
Words: 92,474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16051250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WordsOfMyReality/pseuds/WordsOfMyReality
Summary: "I guess it's going to have to hurt, I guess I'm going to have to cry,And let go of some things I've loved to get to the other sideI guess it's going to break me down, Like fallin when you try to fly,Sad but sometimes moving on with the rest of your life starts with goodbye"― Carrie Underwood





	1. Dreams of New Beginnings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "I guess it's going to have to hurt, I guess I'm going to have to cry,
> 
> And let go of some things I've loved to get to the other side  
> I guess it's going to break me down, Like fallin when you try to fly,  
> Sad but sometimes moving on with the rest of your life starts with goodbye"
> 
> ― Carrie Underwood

 

_The breeze is quite brisk this morning. I came on the patio to clear my head as my thoughts roll out of my mind with each gust of wind. I always think better when I am outside. I write better, too. Oh, that is not to say I think I write well; I just write better when I can smell the out of doors around._

_Yesterday was such a wonderful day. The night before I fell asleep on the swing on the porch. The soft chirping of the morning birds awakened me quite early, so I got to see the gorgeous sunrise. Until I had watched that yellow orb rise, I had not realized how long it had been since I had observed an early dawn. Each one I see seems to be even more beautiful that the one before. And each time I see another, I doubt that its beauty can be surpassed. Mornings like today make me wonder why I like to sleep so late on weekends. Anyway, that started the day off just right._

Piper leaned back in her chair and looked at the words she had written. She could not imagine all that had happened that Saturday. She feared that writing it all down would erase the day's existence from reality. It had been a wonderful day indeed.

She had ridden her bicycle down to West End of Lake Donovan. The recent move had kept her busy from her normal activities, so the day had been planned as an escape to catch up on some long overdue reading. Well the reading was still long overdue but, at this time, it was the furthest thing from her thoughts.

Piper had just settled into the first chapter of her novel. The early morning sun was stretching its rays across the glassy lake. The peace was so overwhelming. It was a morning when time seemed to stand still and allow the beauty of the early day to be soaked in from head to toe. Perfection, pure perfection.

A soft and gentle sound began from up the shore. Piper squinted into the low, rising sun and saw a figure sitting on the dock. After a moment, Piper realized that the beautiful sound was a harmonica being played by the person on the pier. The music was not really a song, just a relaxing, soothing melody of notes. After studying the figure, Piper once more buried herself in her novel.

Several chapters later, a shadow covered the pages of the book. Startled, Piper rolled over and sat up rather quickly.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." Piper's eyes focused on the tall, dark haired woman standing over her. "I am sorry if I disturbed your reading." The chuckled as a slight frown came over Piper's face. "About the music and all. I saw you when you rode up. I finally decided to come over and see if my playing bothered you."

"Oh no, not at all. Your music is beautiful. It kind of matches the morning, calm and peaceful. Why don't you have a seat?" Piper spoke as she slid over on the blanket on which she had been laying. "Piper," she said, reaching out her hand.

"Andrea. Nice to meet you." Andrea's hand met Piper's with a firm, yet gentle grip. Piper was amazed at the softness. "

There was a moment of silence as each woman savored the luscious breeze blowing off the lakefront. "Are you…" Piper stopped short as she realized they had both spoken at the same time. "Sorry, go ahead."

"No, you first," Andrea laughed.

"I was wondering if you were from around here."

"Well I moved here recently and have not been around much. How about yourself?"

"I am in the same situation. I have lived here about a month and have not quite gotten adjusted to the area. That is why I am out here today. I decided to take advantage of the beautiful morning to relax and catch up on some reading. It is the first chance I have gotten to unwind since the move."

"I know what you mean."

Again, silence. Piper took advantage of the moment to look her new guest over and was overwhelmed by the woman who had come over to speak with her.  _No, my luck does not run that far_ , she thought. Andrea's features were remarkable. Her slim, fit figure, outlined by the morning sun, was quite lovely. The blue shirt she had on really blended well with her pale color. Piper's face flushed as she realized Andrea was looking at her, too, smiling.

"I hope you do not mind me inviting myself into your space. I have always thought that gorgeous days such as this are even more beautiful if you had someone to share them with." Andrea looked back over the water, the grin still peeking around her lips.

"Oh, I do not mind at all. I certainly enjoy the company. But to be honest, I was about to go for something to drink. Would you care to join me?" Piper's voice almost quavered in fear that she sounded too anxious.

"I would love to." Andrea's smile never faltered. "I live up the road a little ways. If you would like, I could make some tea."

Piper returned the smile. "Sounds great."

* * *

Piper's chair thumped back upright as the phone interrupted her thoughts. She walked into the kitchen and answered the phone.

"Hi, it's me, Andrea." Piper's face broke into a huge grin at the sound of Andrea's voice. "Is our dinner date still on?"

"Sure, I would not miss it for the world. How about I pick you up in an hour?"

"Sounds great. See you then. Bye."

Piper realized that the day before had not been a dream. It was indeed a reality and becoming more real with every passing moment.

At 6:45, Piper pulled up to Andrea's house. The windows were strangely dim. It seemed as though few lights were on.  _God, what a woman_. The thoughts kept rolling through Piper's mind.  _How can I spend an entire evening with this woman, in public, knowing all the time that I am dying to touch her, to feel her lips press against my skin?_  Piper's mind had wandered all day, dying to see Andrea. The day before had been so wonderful.

Piper distinctly remembered the words she had written in her journal about the day before.

_We arrived at Andrea's house and had a drink. And we talked. We talked it seemed forever, yet I cannot remember anything we talked about. All I can remember was Andrea, her beautiful face and lips, her graceful movements. Oh my, it seems a sin to capture these thoughts on paper. But I could write about this woman forever._

Piper jumped as she looked at the clock. It now read 6:53. She had sat in front of this woman's house, daydreaming when she could have been inside, with the woman of her fantasies.

Piper straightened her clothes and approached the dimly lit house. As she reached to knock, the door opened. And there was that smile.  _Gosh, she is beautiful_. Piper stepped inside and closed the door behind her. Andrea did not say a word, only motioned for Piper to follow her.

They walked through the foyer and into the living room. From here, Piper could see the dining room table, set and ready to go. Her face must have shown the surprise, yet Piper said nothing. Andrea's laugh punctured the silence.

"I decided I wasn't in the mood to go out and took the liberty of fixing dinner here. Do you mind? I think you will find my cooking quite suitable."

_Oh I can think of many things about you that are quite suitable_ , Piper thought. "Why, you took the thoughts right out of my head." Piper gulped in air so she could press her words out of her mouth. "This is great, wonderful indeed." Piper tried to keep from tripping over her words. "I like a woman who takes charge." Piper shocked herself as she realized she had given Andrea a sly wink.

* * *

After the sumptuous dinner had been served and devoured, Andrea brought Piper another glass of wine to the couch. Piper had seated herself on one end, hoping Andrea would sit next to her. Just thoughts of feeling her close sent shivers through out Piper's body. When Andrea sat in the chair next to the couch, Piper's heart about dropped into her feet with disappointment. Here was a woman she had thought about for over thirty-six hours, a female who had taken away Piper's every thought and replaced them with sweet fantasies about a tall, dark, and handsome woman.

"I could not bear to be in public with you." Andrea's resonant voice sent chills over Piper's body. Slowly, Andrea rose from her chair, her eyes never leaving Piper's face. Andrea firmly gripped the arms of her chair and positioned it directly in front of Piper as she sat on the couch. As Andrea sat down, she leaned forward in the chair. Piper leaned forward as well, bringing her face not six inches from Andrea, Andrea's voice still creating those wonderful sensations in her stomach. "I could not go out all evening with you, watching you and talking to you…" Andrea's lips now a few inches from Piper's, "without kissing you."

Their lips met and were still, each person soaking in the energy created by the touch. Each body melting as they kissed was more than they could handle. The chair was pushed back and Andrea was on the couch beside Piper. Arms intertwined, bodies pressed together. Such power it took to separate, each set of lips lingering on the other.

Piper let out a breath. "Oh my. How can you read my mind?" Those were the only words spoken that evening. There was not room for words as tongues tumbled over tongues and flesh. Lips moved over necks and down shoulders. Passion could not be matched this evening, as each woman knew exactly where she wanted to touch and to be touched.

* * *

The shrilling alarm clock awakened Piper with a start. She slowly reached over and silenced the annoying sound. Then she remembered Andrea. She feared to turn over, as this would erase the night from existence. But it had to be done. She had to see that beautiful woman lying next to her. The night had been long and sleep almost non-existent, but Piper felt fully refreshed. She hoped that Andrea was as beautiful now as she was when they joined their bodies in hours of pleasure and lust.

Piper gathered her composure and rolled her body over, slowly, anticipating the moment when her body touched the silky smooth skin of the sweet woman beside her.

The spread was neatly pulled up around the pillow, just as it was every morning before. Her bed was empty, and Piper was quite alone. There still was no beautiful woman beside her. Piper's heart fell, just as it had every damned morning for the past six days. The reoccurring dream was haunting her to no end, stirring deep emotion and desire.

What was it about a figure of a stranger at the lake that created these feelings inside her? What caused these dreams, these vivid plays on Piper's body and on her imagination? Piper had not been this mesmerized by any woman in years. In fact, Piper could not remember a time when she had thought of nothing except a single woman.

Her heart pounded from the dream that had just ended. Slight sweat beads were gathered across her shoulders and chest. Closing her eyes to preserve the memory, Piper doubted if reality could be as wonderful as her dreams. But such revelations would have to wait for another day. For today was her day to begin her new life.

Piper had come to Donovan to start over. She had sulked away many months after Samantha's death. She had left Piper a substantial amount of money when she passed away. Samantha had some family money, but the bulk of amount left to Piper was from joint savings and insurance policies. Piper had been so afraid to touch the money though. She felt that if she did, it would somehow confirm the death of her wife and best friend. When Piper's personal savings finally gave out, she decided that she would have to go into the money held in their joint accounts. But to do what? She had not actually worked in so long. If she was going to survive, she was going to have to give herself a life. But to do that, she had to leave. Leave everything and start over.

So here she is, in some small, non-descript town getting ready to open a new business.  _And that is what I am going to do_ , Piper thought as she rolled out of bed. The remainder of the morning hours were spent readying herself for her new life.

_Oh Sam, can I really live without you? Can I do it? Please forgive me for wanting to. But I must try to get myself back together. I do not want you to be angry with me. I need this._

* * *

The door gave way as the lock clicked open. Piper stepped into her new establishment. The cleaners and decorators had certainly given her money's worth. The place was spotless. All of the furnishings were just as she had envisioned them as she planned out her venture. All she lacked were a few more details, and this restaurant would be ready for business.

Piper needed but three things to begin: employees, a menu, and a name. Not much, yeah right! She had decided to take care of this personally. Of course, she was doing this for herself, to get back into the working world. So she had to do some of the work. This would make it more real to her. Yet she wasn't above leaving the grunt work to the hired folks. However, the finishing touches would make this place all hers … and Samantha's.

_Samantha's_. What a name. That would make it perfect.  _No, you can’t do it. You have to get on with your life._  The strength in her voice startled her. Or maybe it was that she had spoken out loud at all. Nevertheless,  _Samantha's_ as a name was definitely out.

_Damn it, where do I start?_ Piper had considered running an ad in the local newspaper for employees but then decided against it. Something told her that was not the route she wanted to take. So she had taken out an ad in the  _Labyrinth_ , an area women's magazine. The ad inquired simply for employment positions in a new restaurant. She had received a handful of inquiries, screened them, and set up a meeting this afternoon for five of the women. Her plan was to get some contacts in the area, choose a manager and a few employees, and then use these people to build a larger staff for the larger dream yet to be put to paper.

It had taken a lot of contemplation to advertise in a pure women-focused publication. It was a big step out of the closeted life she and Samantha had shared in D.C. But now she could be free. She did not have to fear for loss of money or job. Despite the increasingly liberal climate of today's society, Sam had started working for this law firm about thirteen years ago when things weren't quite the same. It was a strong possibility that Sam's law firm would have dropped her faster than a hot potato if there were even a remote rumor of her homosexuality. Nonetheless, Samantha had insisted Piper not work. Piper worked on her degrees, dabbled a bit in the arts, and kept house for her wife. But now her wife was gone. She did not have anything to do, to look forward to, except this.

So after eight years of marriage and four years of solitary, Piper was stepping out. She did not have anything to fear. She did not want just a business; she wanted a place that would be remembered. So the  _Labyrinth_  was her choice. She ran the brief ad for only a few short weeks. Piper figured that a handful of responses and word of mouth would bring her all she needed and what she needed was this restaurant.

As if Piper did not have enough on her mind, visions of Andrea, this fantasy woman, kept floating across her mind. Last week, Piper had gone out to the lake to read and relax. She caught a glimpse of a woman playing with her dog. And that was all. The rest was created in her mind. Her imagination was playing awful tricks on her. How could she have such dreams about an unknown woman? Afterwards, Piper had been drawn back to the lake each day for reasons unknown to herself. Maybe it was in hopes of seeing this woman again. But how could she?

How could she after Samantha? Samantha had been her life for so long. Now here was this woman, this complete stranger that Piper had seen at the lake. And Piper was having very real cravings for this woman. But each trip to the lake ended the same: no woman, no dog, no reality to her dreams.  _Oh well. You never know._

Piper busied herself with the résumés she held in front of her. Some very interesting people had applied. There was one application she found most intriguing, Alex Vause. Alex had a degree in restaurant management. This woman seemed too good to be true, almost over-qualified to be looking for a job in a small restaurant such as hers. Then again, the ad had been quite vague.  _Time will tell_ , Piper thought. She would have to find someone, somewhere to help her out. She considered the importance of today and was curious at how many women would show up.


	2. Ideas and Fresh Starts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "For last year's words belong to last year's language  
> And next year's words await another voice.  
> And to make an end is to make a beginning."
> 
> ― T.S. Eliot

The idea for this new beginning began a year ago. On the anniversary of her lover's death, Piper took a trip back to Key West. She sat on the pier where she had scattered Sam's ashes three years earlier. The evening was much like the one when she last visited this spot. The blues and pinks of the early dusk were exquisite, soon fading into the golden tones of the sunset. Strangely enough, there were no tears. Piper felt an amazing calm and peace about herself.

_Sam? Are you there? I miss you dear. I miss you dreadfully. The past four years have been so difficult. There is so much around me that reminds me of you. I am not complaining though. Oh my sweet love, I am thankful that we have so many special memories together. But I am greedy. I want you back. I want more memories. I was not ready for you to leave me so suddenly. But that is impossible. It is impossible to have you physically in my life again._

_I love you Sam. But I can't handle D.C. anymore. There is so much of you around. I do not think I can finish healing there. Help me my darling. Help me_. A single tear rolled down Piper's cheek. She let it go as she got up and walked back to the hotel.

The weekend trip did Piper a world of good. She returned to D.C. full of energy and ideas. Ideas that would help her regain her life, to help her fulfill the dreams that Samantha and she had created.

* * *

**_Six years earlier, Virginia_ **

"Sam?"

"Yes Piper?"

"Where do we go after this? Are our lives to be spent with you in an office and me in this home?"

"Are you unhappy?"

"Oh no. I love taking care of you, of Joshua. I just do not see us staying here for the rest of our lives. Tell me your dream. What would you do if you could just let go and do anything?"

That is where the idea for this restaurant came from. Samantha wanted to go to a small, yet fairly liberal town. She wanted to open a restaurant, a place for women. A place where women felt comfortable coming to be with and meet other women. It would not be just a restaurant, maybe more like a coffeehouse with food; sandwiches, salads, soups … something to attract conversation, to attract women to women. Quiet yet suitable for conversation. The ideas went on and on.

After Piper's lone trip to Key West, she began planning. If Samantha wanted this type of business, then by damned, she would have it. Piper would take all the ideas Samantha had told her that dreamy morning and more. She would create a place that Samantha would have been proud to call her own. Twelve short months later, Piper was in Donovan about to make this dream a reality.

* * *

**_Present day, Friday afternoon_ **

Piper busied herself in the small office located in the rear of the restaurant. At 1:50, she heard the jingle of the bells on the front door. She gathered her papers and headed up front. Two women were standing right inside the doorway. Piper took a deep breath and entered the room and welcomed the women. She had studied the résumés well and tried to place each woman's name with her background. Celeste Balcone was the college student. She attended nearby Jones University in Drewton. Celeste was of medium height and build. She had dark hair and the hazel eyes. Kristie Garcia was the roving waitress. She had held jobs in many restaurants and clubs in the surrounding areas, her most recent employment being at Rainbow Lounge, a lesbian bar in Drewton. Kristie was a light complexioned Hispanic woman with a gorgeous smile. She was short but very well proportioned.

Piper introduced herself, then motioned for the two newcomers to sit at a larger table towards the center of the dining area. "I am expecting three other women. So relax for a few minutes while we wait for them." She occupied time by fixing drinks for the women. That, and a kind gesture that would be a good ice breaker. She wanted the women to feel relaxed. Piper then fixed drinks for the women, needing something to do to fill the idle time. She was so nervous that she did not want to saturate the time with simple conversation.

As Piper was filling the glasses, the bells jingled again. She turned towards the door to catch a glimpse of her next prospect.  _Ahh, Nicky Nichols_ , Piper thought to herself. Somehow she had envisioned this when she had read this résumé. Nicky hadn't done much of anything with her life. She had bounced around a few jobs, mostly at record stores and such. She had DJ'd for a short period of time for the local Donovan radio station.

Nicky seemed ballsy, carrying herself like she didn't give a shit about what anyone thought. Her reddish blond hair fell down to right above her shoulder in soft curls yet was somehow also frizzed wild in all directions. Piper laughed out loud as Nicky introduced herself in a brash manner. This girl was going to fit right in with the image she wanted to create.

While visibility would be an important factor in building the restaurant's clientele, acceptance of all was equally important. Piper had a feeling that Nicky would be a great enforcer of all things equal. Straight as well gay people would notice Nicky. As far as equality had come in recent years, Piper was still hoping to further the gay cause. She wanted a respectful business that was clearly gay owned and operated. She wanted people to be forced to see that gays are normal. Maybe this would be just a small drop in the bucket of furthering human kind, but it would make a difference to someone. And that was what Samantha had wanted so Piper was determined to make it happen.

Piper filled one more tea glass and joined the group. Celeste and Kristie had introduced themselves and were making small talk. Piper introduced herself, pleased that she had guessed correctly at Nicky's identity. "Two more, and we can begin," Piper said, anxiously.

With this, the bells rang once more. Heads turn to the door, eight eyes were fixed on the next woman walking in. She was heavy-set woman with black hair, cropped short on one side. Piper rose to greet the woman with an extended hand. "Piper Chapman, glad you could make it."

"Carrie Black, but you can call me Boo. Glad I was invited." The large boned woman was quite a sight. All eyes were fixed on her as introductions were made around the table. Now this woman was definitely the epitome of dyke. Nobody would mistake Carrie for a woman with feminine wiles swooning over a man.

After a bit of idle conversation, it was a few minutes past two. Four of the five women Piper had spoken with were there. She was disappointed to see that Ms. Vause had not been one of them. She would have liked to meet the woman that went with that résumé. In fact, she would have liked to have hired that woman based on the qualifications within her résumé alone. She desperately needed help with management as she felt that was her weakest point, but there were other places to look. She wanted to respect the time of the women who were there and did not hesitate in starting the meeting without the last person.

The four women in front of her were surprisingly impressive. Piper stepped through the speech she had planned. She told the women what she wanted and that she wanted them to be a very real part of this creation. Her requirements for employment were simple. But she would require a lot of their time and assistance to put everything together.

The meeting was short as Piper had only wanted to meet these women and get some feedback for her restaurant. She did not want formalities nor did she just want employees. Piper actually wanted to create a family, a group of people that would trust and be trusted. Versatile. A group of women proud of their sexuality coming together. She almost felt as if she was looking for too much. Maybe she was searching for a replacement for Samantha and Joshua. However, if the restaurant did not work here, it would work somewhere. Piper had her goals set high and was bound and determined to reach those goals.

Piper gave each woman a card with her name, home address, and cell number. She then sat back and smiled. Surprisingly enough, there were no questions. It was Friday afternoon and a beautiful day. These women all seemed quite delightful. They were also somewhat acquainted with one another, so that was an added plus. The group seemed to get along beautifully.

"So, I will give you some time to think this over. We will be starting this together. I promise that if we can make this establishment a success that you will be very pleased with your rewards. Each of you is invited for lunch at my house Sunday afternoon. If you have a significant other, you are more than welcome to bring her along as well. We will discuss this further if you have any questions that you may have thought of. I hope that you will come – 1:00, Sunday. My address is on the card I have given you. Even if you decide not to accept employment, please join us."

With this, the five women looked around. What a group it made. They exchanged handshakes and a few words; then each person went her separate way, leaving Piper in the building alone.

Piper studied over the notes she had made. Each of the four seemed to be just what she was looking for. They certainly met two of the three  _requirements_ : gay or gay friendly, in need of a job, and sincere. The third one remained to be seen. Samantha always told Piper that she trusted people too easily. But these women seemed perfect.  _Oh yes, what a crew for a women's establishment._

_Now for management…_  Piper stopped shuffling through papers and leaned back in her chair. Her hunger hit her unexpectedly, and a glimpse at her watch explained the stomach rumblings. It was growing close to six and she had not eaten since this morning. So she gathered up her papers, locked the restaurant, and headed for home.

* * *

Piper fumbled with her keys. She could not seem to get the damned door open. Her voice filtered through the door as her old school answering machine clicked on. She was panting when she grabbed the phone. "Hang on, hang on. Let me cut off the machine… Hello?"  _Who could be calling her?_  She had not given her home number out to many people, and friends from the past were few and far between. Everyone called her cell phone now. The ancient machine had been kept only because of a five year old message left by Sam and a giggling Josh. She was afraid to even try to change the tape in fear of losing their voices forever. "Sorry about that - Hello?"

"Hello Ms. Chapman. This is Alex Vause. I had an appointment with you this afternoon."


	3. Dreams Realized

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "We can bring into being, the things we dream. So much of what we are is, limited or expanded by, what we think."  
> ― Jaeda DeWalt

Piper finally was able to get the phone receiver to her ear. "Sorry about that - Hello?"

"Hello Ms. Chapman. This is Alex Vause. I had an appointment with you this afternoon."

Piper frowned. "Oh yes; we missed you. I had been looking forward to meeting you Ms. Vause."  _Why is she calling after missing the meeting?_  She had assumed the possible manager had lost interest since the invitation was received.

The distinct deep raspy voice continued. "I wanted to call you and apologize. It is not like me to not show up for an appointment, and I wanted to explain. Since we last spoke, I received a job offer for a restaurant in Drewton." Piper's heart fell. "But in good conscience, I wanted to meet you before I decided. I just had an unavoidable crisis this afternoon. Please forgive me."

Piper's frown vanished with the news that she might possibly be able to hire a manager. "I am certainly glad that you have not accepted another offer. I think you will find my offer ... quite interesting." Piper chuckled.  _Especially with the women I met today,_  she thought. "I'd very much like to meet you. In fact I was just getting ready to scout out dinner. Have you eaten?"

"No, would you care to discuss business over a meal? I don't want to press you after missing our appointment."

Piper chuckled again, this time out loud. "No I do not mind. I think you will understand when you hear my proposal." After agreeing on a place to meet, Piper disconnected the line, feeling even better than when she arrived home.

Piper could not contain her joy. This would be too good to be true. Lesbian staff  **and**  lesbian management for her little project, assuming, of course, that this Alex was indeed gay. It was all falling into place just right.  _Thanks for the support, Sam. Keep sending me the good ones. I love you._

* * *

**_Friday Evening_ **

Piper arrived and walked through the doors to the restaurant promptly at seven. She glanced around the room, slowly checking out each person, wondering how many of them would soon be patronizing her business. Then an immediate flush came over her chest and neck. Sitting at the bar was none other than Andrea. Her long black hair was loose this time, flowing down her back with some strands falling over her shoulders as they were tucked behind her ears. My god, the woman was just as she had remembered, if not better. Here before her was the object of her dreams for the past week.

However, Piper was here on business. Damned her luck. Piper hoped that her gawking was not noticed by the beautiful woman from her dreams. At least she knew that Andrea was not solely in her imagination and that she obviously lived in the area. Piper wondered if she could get Andrea out of her mind now! Andrea glanced in Piper's direction. Her eyes focused on Piper, then the dark haired woman stood up and began walking in her direction.

Stopping in front of Piper, Andrea offered her hand. "Ms. Chapman? Hi I am Alex Vause."

Floored.

Piper was absolutely floored.

Finding her voice, Piper stuttered, "Umm hello. Please call me Piper. It is nice to meet you." Piper's voice was about as shaky as her knees. My god, if she woke up from this dream, she would die.  _Please lord, do not let me wake up this time._ She gathered her wits as best she could and shook Alex's hand.

"Our table is waiting. I called ahead to have it ready. I hope you don't mind." Alex's words faded off into the background noise. Piper was in heaven, nervous as hell, but in heaven nonetheless.

* * *

**_Saturday morning_ **

Piper sat up in bed and rubbed her eyes. Had she been dreaming again? She could not tell. Did she actually have dinner with the woman from her dreams? What was said? What did they talk about? Piper's dreams about the imagined situation had been painfully vivid, yet she could not remember a single thing about the real encounter. "This is too weird. I am going crazy," Piper grumbled aloud as she rolled out of bed. What she  _could_  remember was the woman's perfect alabaster facial skin outlined by her jet black hair and piercing green eyes edged by the black framed school teacher type glasses.

She quickly showered and dressed as much was to be done – too much to sit here and think about this fantasy her mind had created. She had to go shopping for her lunch guests tomorrow, clean house, etc. She poured herself a cup of coffee and took a pad of paper onto the back porch to make out her list. Being busy was going to be a real treat. She was actually enjoying herself.

Around 12:30, Piper's doorbell rang.  _Who the hell is here? Surely I did not tell anyone that lunch was to be today._  Piper scurried through the house as the bell rang a second time.

Piper looked out the window then took a double take. She rubbed her eyes and looked once more. Sure enough, Andrea — Alex rather — was standing on her front step. Piper hurriedly straightened her clothes in the hall mirror, ran her fingers through her damp hair, and answered the door.

"Good afternoon Piper. I hope you don't mind me dropping by."

"Oh not at all," Piper replied. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?" Piper realized she was blocking the doorway. "Pardon me, please come in." Piper moved aside and motioned Alex into the house. "I am actually still finishing my morning coffee. What can I get you to drink? I have coffee, tea, water, soda..."

"Tea sounds great."

Alex followed Piper out to the back porch. Piper disappeared for a few short minutes and returned with a glass of iced tea.  _How ironic_ , she thought.  _This woman is at_ _ **my**_ _house, having a glass of tea._  To Alex, Piper asked, "Now I ask again, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I have decided to take your job offer. You were right; it's far too wonderful to pass up. I called the owner in Drewton to decline his offer. I'm all yours, if you want me."

"So it was not a dream."

"Excuse me?" Alex was puzzled at Piper's statement.

"Oh nothing." Piper chuckled to herself. "I was just thinking out loud." If only the woman before her knew her private most thoughts.

* * *

The rest of the afternoon was spent discussing the new restaurant. Plans were really falling into place. Piper was becoming much more at ease with her new manager.  _Isn't starting over so nice?_ The twinge of guilt was small, yet noticeable. With time, surely the pain would go away.

Piper's plans for the day fell by the wayside as she talked with Alex. This woman was absolutely perfect. Alex had a degree in restaurant management and had worked her way through college at her uncle's family restaurant. She was fresh out of school with lots of wonderful ideas. Piper's restaurant was perfect for Alex as well since it seemed as though Alex would get to try out all of her ideas – at a lesbian establishment to boot.

Piper was so engrossed in the developing plans that her dreams of  _Andrea_ slipped completely out of her mind. The two women really hit it off well, and the afternoon was exceptionally productive. A skeleton menu was created and décor was discussed. Alex helped to refine some of Piper's initial concepts. It seemed as though Alex had a natural talent of taking Piper's ideas and making them workable and very real.

Both women sat back at the same time. Piper was exhausted as they had been working for three hours non-stop. "Are you hungry?" Piper inquired. "I do not have much here, but it's enough to throw together a salad and a couple of sandwiches."

"Sure, but only if I can help." Alex grinned then threw her head back and laughed. "I do work for you now."

When the food was spread out on the patio table, the mood changed drastically. Piper had turned on some background music as both women relaxed. Without much conversation to keep Piper's mind occupied, her thoughts returned to the reoccurring  _Andrea_ dreams she had been having all week. She relived some of the very personal visions she had of the woman sitting before her. A lesser known Elle King song began to play.

_I like what you do and I like that you keep doin' it  
_ _Your eyes look mighty fine I really think I'm losin' it  
_ _…_

_Say you'll be my baby and I'll be your girl and  
_ _You can have this heart of mine,  
_ _'Cause I would walk a thousand miles  
_ _Just to make you smile_

Piper smiled and shook her head.

"A penny for your thoughts," Alex said. "You look so intense."

"Oh, I don't think you want to hear my thoughts. I was actually kind of out in left field," Piper replied. Her face became flushed as she felt redness creeping up her neck. Changing the subject, Piper started speaking. "Thanks for coming over. Your acceptance of the position was a God-send. I was beginning to worry since your area of expertise is where I am lacking the most. I am delighted that you agreed knowing so little about me, especially since I am such an inexperienced owner."

Alex smiled and a gorgeous smile it was. Piper felt her body melt as her mind slipped back toward her dreams, to Andrea.

Piper told Alex about the lunch tomorrow. She gave a brief description of each woman as she reviewed the résumés with Alex. "I hope that you're free. I think I would feel much better if you met these women and give me your insight. You will be their supervisor, you know. I was hoping to have the restaurant up and running within a few months."

"A few months? What are you talking about?" Alex's shock surprised Piper. "I thought you were ready to go now." Piper's flustered look did not stop Alex. "You hired me to open a restaurant. If these women are as willing to work as you, we can have this restaurant up and running in less than two weeks!"

"Two weeks? That's incredible!"

"I can assure you that two weeks is a very generous time period."

"So can you come over tomorrow?"

"I wouldn't miss it for the world. We have a lot of work to do!"

With this, Piper walked Alex to the front door. "Thanks again. This is going to work out great."

"Thank  _you_ , and I think you're right. See you tomorrow." Alex placed a light hand on Piper's arm - a friendly gesture - but one that sent shocks through Piper's body. When Alex turned to leave, Piper immediately felt the absence of the gentle touch. A wave of emotion cascaded over Piper as she watched Alex depart.

As exhausted as Piper felt, the day had been productive. She could not believe Alex's initiative and drive. Piper could have just fallen asleep on the couch, however much was to be done before tomorrow. Alex had insisted on coming over early to help with the meal.  _I wonder what Alex would think if she knew she had been the object of my desire for the past seven days. What would she think of her new boss then?_ Piper chuckled. _One of these days, I will have to let her in on my little secret._

Piper dragged herself off of the couch and went to the grocery store. When she finally found her way to her bed, it was nearing midnight.  _Oh what a day._


	4. Nice to Meet You and You and You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "You mean something like 'truth or dare'? I haven't played that in a long time." She didn't think he would ever get himself entangled in a game like that, but it was addictive, a compromising icebreaker featuring all the strategy of Poker, minus the cards, mixed with a dash of danger from Russian Roulette, without the revolver."
> 
> ― E.A. Bucchianeri, Brushstrokes of a Gadfly

True to her word, Alex showed up bright and early Sunday morning to assist Piper prepare for lunch. Piper greeted her at the door with a hug as she felt comfortable with her new manager, and the atmosphere was easily slipping into one with more familiarity. As Piper went to give Alex on a welcoming kiss on the cheek, Alex turned her head to look at her boss. Piper's kiss missed Alex's cheek, landing on the edge of her mouth instead.

Spark.

It was all Piper could do to keep from jumping at the electric vibe from the almost-too-close kiss. Embarrassed, she simply turned to allow a smug Alex to enter the house. Piper took a deep breath to steady her nerves, placing a hands on her lips to calm the charged skin before following behind her manager. As Piper fixed coffee, Alex plunked a thick manila folder down on the table. "What is this?" Piper inquired.

"Take a look. I had so much on my mind last night that I just couldn't sleep."

Piper opened the folder and thumbed through its contents. The folder contained advertisements and menus proclaiming the existence of her new establishment. Piper was amazed. "Where did you get all of this? This stuff is great." Piper studied the items more closely and discovered that not only were they wonderfully designed, they encompassed nearly every detail that Alex and Piper had discussed the evening before.

"I told you; I couldn't sleep. I took some design classes in college then dropped by a friend's on the way over here this morning and had them printed off. There are several different versions of each item. Please remember, these are just working copies. They still have a lot of work to be done. And of course, when you decide on a name, it will be a cinch to replace the title I have here." The pseudo name used on the samples was  _The Place._  "I wasn't being too creative there."

Piper thought the pieces looked pretty damned good just as they were. "You are just too great. I could just kiss you! I cannot believe you just  _threw_  these together. My ideas are about to become reality!" Without thinking, Piper flung her arms around Alex and hugged her as hard as she could. "Thanks."

Alex was caught off guard by the immediate show of affection. She had not expected such a reaction for the little effort she put into the menus and ads. Nevertheless, she returned the hug with a small smile on her face. Somewhere inside her, she was almost hoping for another near-miss kiss.

"Sorry," Piper said as she released Alex, once again immediately missing the contact. "I did not mean to grab you like that. You have just made this excursion of mine, excuse me – ours – so real." She was very pleased with Alex's efforts and it certainly showed.

Alex just smiled as she undoubtedly didn't mind a bit. Her new employer was just as cute as could be, sexy even, with her pleasure showing through her sparkling blue eyes and dimpled smile. Alex forced her thoughts to stop there. Alex admired the things this woman was accomplishing. Piper was really taking a big step opening this restaurant, and Alex was delighted to be a part of it.

Alex and Piper busied themselves preparing for the meal. Because of the beautiful day, Piper decided to set things up in the back yard. She lived in a fairly secluded area; as well she had a tall security fence bounding the property. Her private life wasn't any of her neighbors' business. The fence assured no problems in her personal affairs.

* * *

Nicky was the first to arrive. When Piper opened the door, she was surprised to see that Nicky had brought another woman. She didn't seem like the type to be settled down. With her arm thrown over the other woman's shoulder, Nicky introduced Lesley to Piper. Alex was still in the kitchen, so Piper decided to wait for everyone to show up for the introduction of the manager. Nicky and Lesley were directed outside to wait for the others. It was obvious to Piper that Nicky was very comfortable with her sexuality. No identity crisis with that woman.

No sooner than she pointed out the back door, Piper's doorbell rang again. "Ahh, Welcome Boo. Nicky is out back. I need to make a pass through the kitchen, but I will show you the way." In the past forty-eight hours, Boo had managed to get a fresh haircut. The newly shaved side and spiked top looked just right. Boo was going to be great for shock value - definitely one to make the heads turn.

Piper detoured through the kitchen to pick up the ice for the drinks. "How's it coming in here?"

Alex smirked. "All under control, of course."

"How dare I ask, right?" Piper returned the smile. "Half of our crew is here. I will come get you when everyone is here."

Piper delivered the ice to the back yard. Boo had been introduced to Lesley and the three women were discussing the bar crowd from the previous night. Piper had forgotten about Saturday nights out on the town. It had been quite some time since she had done the bar scene. It was comforting to know that some things never change.

The final two guests arrived shortly. Celeste and Kristie came together as they had to the initial meeting. They were directed to the back yard as well.

"I am pleased that everyone could make it. I am anxious to know how each of you feel about the positions you have been offered, but if you are anywhere near as hungry as I am, you won't mind postponing these matters until after lunch. I have one more introduction then we can eat!"

A round of approval came from Piper's guests. So Alex was introduced to the crew of lesbians and lunch began.

* * *

Despite the decision to conduct business after lunch, conversation soon turned to the restaurant. Apparently the meeting had excited the women. Piper was delighted to learn that each woman had accepted the employment offer and was anxious to begin. The questions began coming from every direction.

"Hang on, hold your fire." Piper was elated to sense such genuine interest in her possible new employees. "We agreed to postpone that conversation until after lunch to discuss business. There is so much to tell you about the plans, but it can wait. I want to know about you, who each of you are, or at least a little bit about you."

Alex spoke next, "I have only had the chance to read your résumés. If we are going to pull this venture off, we need to personalize our relationships." All heads around the table nodded in agreement.

"Hey, I'll start," Boo offered. "It seems as though I am among the minority of single women here, so let me begin." Boo told a little bit about herself and her background. She was not native to the area but a transplant from Texas. Boo had transferred to Jones University when her girlfriend had been stationed in Drewton. She had lost interest in school when her relationship dissolved.

Boo made the decision to stay and work in the local area. She had spent time at several jobs, leaving when they became boring from lack of diversity in job responsibilities. "I have been here for four years now. I cannot think of what it would be like if I were to move away. One of these days I will return to school, but the urge hasn't hit me. And that is the life and times of Carrie "Boo" Black. Next?"

Celeste grinned at Kristie and spoke. "Boo, you said you were among the minority of single women here, so I think I had best go next. I know that since we've met, you have deduced that Kristie and I are together. We are a bit inseparable, but I must admit that I cannot claim her for my own. She is on loan from a friend." A rumble of laughter spread across the group. "So I, too, am just a lonely lesbian looking to survive."

Celeste was majoring in business, working while she attended school part-time. Her goal was to eventually go to law school but no decisions had been made yet. Her last relationship had bitterly ended about eight months prior when she had walked in on her girlfriend and her girlfriend's boss. "I might have forgiven her eventually, but her boss was named Charles! But that is in the past, and we all learn from our mistakes."

Kristie told of her life and her girlfriend who was on shift-work so could not make it. "Toni lets Celeste baby-sit me. But that is enough about me. Let's let the real couple tell us all about themselves…"

Nicky's face turned crimson. "Well," she stammered, "Lesley and I just met last night."

Lesley smiled. "Thanks for having me over. Nicky had explained the luncheon to me, and I thought it might be interesting to see this group of women she had told me about." Nicky gave a brief outline of her life and quickly passed to the next woman. She remained slightly embarrassed with bringing along her latest one-night stand.

Alex and Piper completed the rounds of background information then turned the discussion to business. Lesley excused herself for the business portion. Nicky escorted her out and returned eyeballing the group, challenging them to question her. "I am a sexual Steve Jobs. And that bitch is worth 10 points." After the initial shock washed over them, the entire table burst out in laughter as Boo reached over to give Nicky a first bump.

Piper filled the women in on hers and Alex's discussion. The menus and ads were passed around, and changes and suggestions were made by all. It seemed as though everyone was as excited as Piper to get this restaurant off of the ground. The opening was set for the following week after next, Friday, twelve days away. A list of what was to still be done was made and duties doled out to each woman. Tomorrow the work would begin.

* * *

Nicky gathered some of the dirty plates to take back to the kitchen. Boo followed her, leaning up against counter. "So Nicky," Boo's confidence exuded as she questioned the bushy haired woman. "Really? 'I am a sexual Steve Jobs. And that bitch is worth 10 points.' REALLY?" Nicky grinned as she turned to place the dishes in the sink.

Boo leaned over the counter and snatched a small notebook protruding from Nicky's back pocket and began to flip through it before Nicky to grab it back. "Hey fucker, give that back. You got no right!"

"You keep track of your sexcapades?" Boo was overjoyed as she looked at the pages. "Serious? Dates and number of nightly successes per woman? Three times last night. Impressive. I definitely understand why she warranted ten points."

"What can I say Boo? I collect vaginas," Nicky proclaims.

Boo placed her fingers on her mouth, tapping in contemplation. "I like you Nichols. I like the way you think." She tapped the notebook on the counter. "This could be interesting. Are you up for a little wager?"

Celeste walked into the kitchen. "What are we betting?" She put the rest of the dishes in the sink.

Without waiting for agreement from Nicky, Boo motioned between them. "Sexual Steve Jobs and I are going to have a sex contest. Wanna to keep score?"

"Hey, hey, hey now." Nicky spoke up. "We have to lay down some ground rules."

"All girls must want to have sex." Celeste announced.

"Yes Celeste, we know." Boo rolled her eyes, almost giddy with the idea of a competition. "It's not a rape contest."

Nicky chimed in. "What contest? We're having a bang-off. All of the girls must reside within a 50-mile radius. Out of towners don't count."

Boo stood up straight, her bulk protruding over the counter. "Out of towners should count more!"

"I'll decide the point values."

Nicky turned to Celeste and asked, "So, do they have to come for it to count?"

"Excellent question." Celeste was enjoying the banter between her new colleagues.

Boo's come-back was immediate. "Have to? Son, with me, they always come."

"Oh, only once? That's so sad." Nicky's grin was broad. "Hey, Celeste, can we get extra points for multiples? I'm the queen of excess." She polished her fingernails on her shirt.

"No. No double points but different girls are worth different points.

The three women took turns shaking each other's hands, sealing the deal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know the contest reaches back to early, early OITNB. Does anyone even remember these things anymore? :)


	5. Devious Minds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Their vaginas were just ships passing in the night, stopping to pick up every dirty sailor."  
> ― K.F. Germaine, Devious Minds

**_Flash-forward eight weeks later_ **

Nicky, Boo, and Celeste were sitting at the back of the café after closing time tallying points and determining contest standings for the last week of competition. Boo grabbed the points card from Celeste.

"Boss ladies are worth 100 points?! Each?" Boo was in shock. "Damn I didn't even know they were in play here. Those points could make a hell of a difference in the game."

Nicky waved her hand at the tallies. "Alex? And Piper? No! That's just all kinds of wrong Boo. No matter how much they are worth. Geesh can't you see they are crushing on each other?"

Celeste grabbed the points card back from Boo, marked out the 100 and filled in 50. Nicky grabbed the card and added a negative in front of the 50. "That's more like it. Thou shall not hit on our bosses."

The three sat in silence a little longer. Celeste fiddled with the point sheet. "You know, you guys are neck and neck. Aren't you two tired of this yet?"

Boo motioned between herself and Nicky, "Thirty-six each – we're tired."

Nicky took a drink of her soda and nodded. "Yup."

Both woman spoke at the time then talked over each other. "Hey, do you wanna just stop? Because I could do that. And we both fucked - lots."

Nicky slung her arm around Boo's neck. "Remind me why we did this to ourselves in the first place."

"Because I am insanely competitive." Boo smirked.

"And I need to feed my addictive tendencies at all times." Nicky responded.

Nicky and Boo looked at each other then looked at Celeste. "Let's call it a draw. I have another bet that we can ALL get in on...kind of like a football pool."

Nicky and Boo both leaned forward. "Okay, we're listening."

* * *

"Hey boss lady." Piper's eyes lifted off of the work in front of her at the sound of Alex's deep, raspy voice.

"Alex, come on in. I was just about to call it quits for the day anyhow." Piper had almost gotten used to the sex appeal that dripped off of her manager. Almost but not quite. Alex's voice still drove her nuts.

 _The Place_  had been open for nearly two months now. A few more people had been hired, and the café's popularity was steadily increasing. Things had really fallen into place. About the only thing that the group of women had not done was come up with a name for the darned space. It seemed such a simple task to come up with a name, but nothing seemed to fit. Piper had gotten so used to Alex's pseudo name that one day during discussions, she just threw up her hands and declared her business as  _The Place_. Now the name seemed perfect.

"We both have been working pretty much non-stop." Alex's grin told Piper that she had something up her sleeve.

"Thanks for all you have done my own Wonder Woman. I still think you are an angel sent from above."

Alex laughed. "Thanks. I'm just doing my job. But I need a break. And if I am tired, I know you have got to be. So how about we let this place run itself?"

"You take a few days off. You definitely have earned a break. I have been wondering how I could get you to rest. I can handle…"

"No deal," Alex interrupted. "I am  **not** taking any time off as long as you are here working. I said 'how about  _we_  let this place run itself?'"

Alex's last comment caught Piper off guard. She steadied herself before responding. "Exactly what do you have in mind Ms. Vause?"

"What I have in mind is none of your business, at least not at this point. Please, take a few days break ... no wait ...  **I**  am the manager. I do the schedules. My schedule says that you  **must**  take some time off. No questions asked. Otherwise your manager will be very upset. And we would not want that, now would we?" Alex pushed her glasses atop her head and looked at Piper with what Piper was learning to be her trademark look – eyebrow raised.

"No ma'am, we sure wouldn't!" Piper smiled. So maybe it wasn't just Alex's voice that made her insane. "It looks as though I have been issued a direct order. Now tell me, what am I to do with this unexpected free time?"

"Let me worry about the details. This restaurant has not zapped all of my ideas. Just close up the office and come with me. Your break starts right now."

Piper wondered what Alex had in mind. But she was not about to argue with the woman. Alex would end up winning anyway. So she might as well not waste the energy.

* * *

Alex was elated that she did not have to do much wrangling to get Piper to take a few days off. She had become extremely attached to this new boss of hers. The magnetism between the two was inexplicable. In any other situation, Alex would have already asked Piper out. But with the opening of the restaurant and all, there had been no time for dinner or a date. And because of the employee/employer situation, Alex was not even sure if Piper would accept if she asked. So she had waited. And waited and waited.

Finally Alex could not handle it any longer. She had to spend some time alone with Piper. She wanted all of this woman's attention, even if just for a few hours. Alex knew of the harms of getting involved with her boss, but this business was so different. The café had been created for women. Surprisingly enough, the women came. Somehow, Piper and Alex had captured the perfect mood, the perfect staff, the perfect clientele, everything. Things had truly fallen right into place. The restaurant had run like clockwork. It was almost magical.

Alex had been spending several days trying to get up enough nerve to ask Piper to go out with her. She played out different scenarios in her head. They were all just so goofy that she was afraid Piper would laugh her off. Despite her cool exterior demeanor, Alex knew that inside she was just a big softy.

A few evenings ago, Alex and Kristie were closing down  _The Place._  Toni, Kristie's partner, was finishing a cup of coffee in the back. When the doors were locked and the lights turned out, Alex and Kristie collapsed in the easy chairs in the break room.

"So when are you and Piper going to get together?" Toni's questioned startled the hell out of Alex.

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Alex tried to act nonchalant, but she knew exactly what Toni was talking about.

"You just need to puff yourself up, walk right in there, and demand that she go out with you. I  _know_  you like her. It is so obvious." Toni was definitely enjoying this conversation. She had caught the almighty manager off guard and had Alex fumbling for words.

"Oh right, then I can go look for a new job the next day. I would be too ashamed to return after rejection. I normally don't think this way about women but with Piper? There is just something about her."

"Rejection? I think not." Kristie then laid a plan at Alex's feet. Toni and Kristie owned a small cabin on the lakefront. They were offering a strategy too good to pass up. It was bold but definitely workable. "Too hell with stammering and stuttering around like Nicky and all of her women." Nicky had gone through a series of women, a new one every other week it seemed, all in the name of trying to beat Boo in some stupid bet. "Just go in and sweep that lovely woman off of her feet. Then you both can have an actual life other than this restaurant."

 _Lovely woman, how true that was._  Piper had mesmerized Alex since the moment she first laid eyes on her at their first meeting. All she had to do was close her eyes and she could feel Piper's blonde hair in her fingers and see those crystal blue eyes twinkling at her. Toni and Kristie were a set of scheming women, but the plan sounded feasible. It had been a while for Alex, and what better way to jump back into life than with Piper.

Alex pondered the plan for a bit before doubt set in and she shook her head. "Thanks for looking out for us guys, but I just don't think I can do it. It might ruin our working relationship, and there is too much depending on that."

Toni was getting exasperated. "Come on Alex. You know you like her. It's evident to everyone on the staff as well. You DO know there is a pool going with your entire staff, right?" Toni was to the point of goading now.

Alex's laugh was nervous as she wasn't aware of this tidbit of information. "You don't say. And what, pray tell, is this betting pool about?"

"Oh just when you two will wake up and hook up. Maybe not even hook up but at least realize what is sitting right in front of you. Just take the damned keys, will you already?"

"Sold!" Alex proclaimed. "If Piper refuses me, I am going to blame it all on you Toni. Then your wife will have to find a new job!" The three women laughed.

"I don't see her rejecting you, so my job is safe. Heck, in a few weeks, I will be expecting my raise!" Kristie laughed as she high-fived Toni and handed Alex a set of keys.

Celeste had first mentioned the plan to Toni. She said she grew weary of seeing the two women in misery. It was like everyone could see the attraction but the two themselves. So Celeste, Kristie, and Toni devised this scheme. And even if the romance did not happen, Alex and Piper did some rest away from the café.

Marie was nonchalantly giggling behind her hands. As soon as Alex was safely out of ear shot, she gave Toni a fist bump. "Good job there babe. And perfect timing. If something happens within these next two days, I will win the pool! And YOU get to pick where we are going for dinner."

Toni pumped her fist in the air. "Score! Celeste is going to  _kill_  us."

* * *

"So where to, my wonderful manager?" Piper was trying very hard to keep her grin within her. The two women were in Alex's Jeep, headed in the direction of Piper's house.

"No details. I thought I made that clear." Alex smirked as she glanced over to Piper who had her arms crossed in mock indignation.

"Come on. Just a hint. You cannot be cruel forever. I have to know something."

"Says who?" Alex threw her head back, laughing strongly. "Okay, I will give you a little info. We are going to your house. You may gather a few essential things, toiletries, a change of clothes or two, the bare minimum."

"Well that means that this mystery trip will be an overnight one. Alex, I didn't know you were that type of woman. Why, it is not like you to pick a woman up at a strange café and whisk her away. Whatever has gotten into you?" Piper playfully shoved Alex's shoulder.

Alex simply smiled.

At home, Piper gathered a few things together as instructed. She was not even sure what to take. As she sat on her bed, her mind drifted.

Suddenly she was back in time to a quiet day a few months ago. Visions of a woman and a dog on the beach. The day was calm, a slight breeze stirring to keep the morning cool. Then she imagined she could hear the soft, whistling whine of a harmonica. Then she was back at Andrea's house. Oh that skin, those soft lips.

_I could not bear to be in public with you. I could not go out all evening with you, watching you and talking to you…without kissing…_

"Hey woman! Quit staring into space and come on. We have things to do."

Piper was jolted out of her thoughts. She had been so busy the past few months that she had not even thought of the earlier dreams she'd had. But now Alex was taking her off to some unknown place, for some unknown time, for some unknown reason. Could it be that…  _Nah, luck has brought me a wonderful manager for_ The Place. _I can't press that._

And so the two women were off. Alex threw Piper's bag on top of the bags already in the back of her Jeep. The two women crawled in and off they went.


	6. The Plan... Or Vausema - Finally

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "First comes thought; then organization of that thought, into ideas and plans; then transformation of those plans into reality. The beginning, as you will observe, is in your imagination."  
> \- Napoleon Hill

The jaunt to the lake wasn't far. Alex had never been to Toni's lake house, but the hand-drawn map took them right there. She pulled up to the rustic brown cabin and turned the motor off. "Well here we are. I know it is not far from home, but it is away. Definitely away from all the business we have left behind." Alex's mischievous smile just ran chills down Piper's spine.

The Jeep was soon unloaded. Not long after that, both women were into tank tops and shorts, sitting by the lake, beers in hand.

"I really have to thank you for all of your wonderful work Alex. It has really meant a lot to me that you have put forth so much effort to the cafe. It means a lot personally as well as professionally.  _The Place_  would not have been such a success without your touch."

"Why thank you, boss lady. It means a lot to hear you say that. This business has really exceeded my expectations already. But I am delighted that it has been a hit. The women around here really appreciate it. And that is the best advertising we could have. There is no price to be put on word of mouth."

Neither woman spoke for the longest time. The silence was so calming. Not many people were on the lake today. That was surprising since it was such a lovely day. But there were no complaints. Both women were fully relaxed and enjoying the day and each other's company.

* * *

Alex watched as Piper dozed in the lawn chair.  _My, this woman gets more beautiful every time I see her._  Alex had been in awe of the owner since the day she laid eyes on her at their first dinner a few short months ago. That seemed so long ago, but Alex had run that evening over and over in her mind, clinging to the thoughts.

Alex had arrived about fifteen minutes early. She had wanted to get into the mood of the restaurant. Her nerves were a little on edge because she had been unable to make the original meeting. She hoped that this woman wouldn't hold that against her. Then in walked Piper. Although Piper was not your typical lesbian, Alex knew it was her immediately. Piper had shoulder length blond hair, pulled back and held with a clip at the back of her head. As Piper approached the bar area, Alex went forward to meet her.

As Alex extended her hand, she noticed the eyes. Oh those eyes. They were beautiful. It took the entire meal, but Alex finally figured out what color they were. Piper's eyes were a deep, dark blue. Alex had never seen such eyes. They were enchanting. Since that day, Alex longed to get lost in those eyes. Her boss was definitely a beautiful woman.

Some evenings when Alex was relaxing before she would go to bed, she would think about Piper. Alex could visualize every part of her. With her eyes shut, head resting against the back of her overstuffed chair, Alex would recreate Piper in her mind. She was enthralled with every part of her. But to actually act on her interest was unthinkable. While Alex had thought a lot about Piper at home, it seemed strange to be at the lake with her. She glanced back over to Piper who continued to sleep soundly.

When Toni initially confronted her about her infatuation, Alex was shocked. She almost laughed the idea off. But the more she thought about the plan, the more interested she got. It would give her a chance to relax as well as to see if Piper was indeed interested in her. Either way, the plan was a good one. And here she was, sitting by the lake with Piper – bound and determined to make this weekend a good one. But her hunger pains were getting to the point to where she could not ignore them. She quietly arose and ventured back into the cabin to fix sandwiches for herself and Piper.

* * *

When Alex returned with the tray of food, Piper was awake. "Hello. I was about to come looking for you. How dare you leave me out here all alone!" Now it was Piper's turn to grin. She had caught Alex off guard. "I'm just teasing Al." As they finished the meal, the sun had begun to sink. The colors were stimulating as the sun sank below the horizon. Neither woman spoke until all shades had faded into darkness.

"Hey Alex, let's take this party inside. I am in the mood for some music."

"Sure thing Piper. Just leave everything out here. Toni said the animals wouldn't hurt anything." Alex twinged when she realized that she had slipped. Nothing was to have been said about the other women's involvement.

"Toni?! What are you talking about? Oh wait, don't tell me. I've been set up." Piper tried to look angry as she chased Alex into the cabin. She caught Alex in the living room and wrapped her arms around Alex's neck, pressing herself into Alex's back. "Start explaining."

Alex looked over her shoulder. Piper's crystal dark eyes twinkled with her pretend anger. "Well, ummm… I don't think I want to get into it right now."

"Oh, well I think you should. I want to know everything said."

Alex tried valiantly to save face. She was now embarrassed at the plan, and it seemed so silly to try to explain everything. So she did not say anything and sat down in the middle of the couch, her face a deep crimson.  _How am I ever going to get out of this one_ , she thought.

As Piper stood behind Alex, her wheels were really turning. "Okay, who was in on this? I want to know every scheming person."

"Ummm, it is no big deal. I, we, just …"

Piper relaxed her arms about Alex's shoulders and nestled her head into Alex's broad shoulder. Alex stopped mid-sentence, feeling the temperature rise within her. The words were there; they just would not come out. Alex raised her hands and placed them on Piper's arms.

"Celeste started it... Toni… Well, it just sounds so stupid now."

Piper decided to take advantage of Alex's flustered state. Apparently this mini-vacation would end up alright after all. Heck, Andrea-Alex had already written Piper's script for her… at Andrea's house, herself.

Piper placed her index finger on Alex's lips to silence her. Alex immediately obliged. Alex felt herself quiver and slightly tightened her hold on Piper's arms. Oh how she ached for this woman.

Piper lifted her head from Alex's shoulders and slowly withdrew her arms from Alex's grasp. Alex resisted ever so slightly, just enough to make her fingertips linger on Piper's bare skin.

Piper gathered herself and went around to the other side of the couch, pulling Alex to the couch and motioning her to sit. There was no easy chair next to this couch so Piper could not follow her dream-script exactly. However, at this point it didn't matter. She wanted Alex… badly. The sensations were so intense and she had never even so much as kissed the woman.  _Well things are about to change,_  she decided.  _Might as well be bold._

Piper stood in front of Alex. Alex was slumped down on the couch, legs stretched out across the floor. Piper's eyes never left Alex's face. She wanted to see the reaction she would get. Alex's eyes widened as Piper slid her legs over Alex's and straddled her. Alex's eyes rolled back in her head as Piper squeezed her legs around her and settled down. A slight moan escaped from Alex's lips.

Alex could feel Piper's breath on her face. She slowly opened her eyes and immediately met Piper's, about three inches from her face.

"What?" Piper murmured. "Was this in your plans?"

"What plans?"

"What plans? You tell me. Did you plan on this?" Piper's mouth brushed across Alex's lips as she spoke.

"Well… I…" Alex could hardly stand it. She just wanted to press her lips into Piper's, but she could not. She couldn't even move. It was like she was in a trance, unable to will her body to move.

"Come on. You have not finished a sentence yet Al. Do you have something on your mind? Share it with me. Please." Piper was enjoying watching Alex. Alex had closed her eyes again and had begun to breathe deeper. "Tell me Alex, what do you want?" There was no turning back now, but Piper slowly rocked back, away from Alex.

Instantly Alex's arms were around Piper's back. She would not allow Piper to back away. Her eyes opened and locked into Piper's. And for a brief moment, she was lost. She was lost in the beautiful deep blue eyes that she had found enchanting so many weeks ago.

"You have beautiful eyes, Piper."

"Thank you." Piper again leaned towards Alex. This time Alex pulled her in tightly; she would not allow Piper to escape.

"I did not know what to expect when I invited you here. But I know one thing…" Alex paused. Her eyes narrowed as she continued to gaze into the eyes before her.

"What's that?"

Alex leaned forward to meet Piper. Although the space between the two was minimal, time seemed to stand still as the two women's lips met. A pulsating heat wave surged through Alex's body as she pressed her mouth against Piper's. The sensation was so strong that Alex froze, soaking in the energy emitted from this woman sitting atop her lap.

Their lips separated slightly. Alex involuntarily shuddered as Piper's tongue lightly swept around her lips, tracing her mouth. Alex gasped lightly as she reached out her tongue to meet Piper's. At that moment, Piper ran her hands up Alex's arms, across her chill bumps, and came to rest on her shoulders. Meanwhile, their lips were fully joined, each woman savoring the luscious sensations that flowed from their lips directly down to their ever moistening…

Piper gently placed a hand on either side of Alex's chin and backed her head away ever so slightly. She eased open her eyes and fixed them firmly on Alex's, a gaze that could not have been broken even by the strongest person. "Is this part of your plan?" Her laughing eyes were comforting yet teasing in the same sense.

"Piper, this is what I wanted. This is what I wanted since the first time I laid eyes on you. I did not 'plan' this, but I have thought of it, quite a bit."

"If you only knew…" Piper paused. Her dreams would remain private for now. In fact, she would not believe this was happening until she woke up with this woman by her side, assuming that Alex wanted her as badly as she wanted Alex.

A few murmured words were lost as the women's mouths merged again. The passion was deep yet gentle. And such passion there was. The aching desire each woman had for the other was difficult to control. As badly as one wanted the other, each wanted to go slowly, savoring each tingling sensation.

Alex's hand floated gently across Piper's chest, gliding across each breast, pausing at the exact places that would cause Piper to slow her kissing, deepen her breathing then ravish her tongue into Alex's mouth, flicking and caressing each part of her.

"Oh Alex, please…"

"Yes Pipes, what do you want?"

Piper stopped and gazed searchingly at Alex. "What did you call me?"

"I'm sorry. I called you Pipes."

"No, don't be sorry, please. That's okay. It just caught me off guard. It's been a while since anyone called me that, but I like it. Please, I like it; I like your voice." She tried to sound comforting so Alex would smile again.

Piper then ran her fingers and tongue along Alex's neck. Alex pressed her fingers into Piper's lower back and slowly slid her hands beneath Piper's tank top. The smooth, silky feeling that reached her fingertips was just as she had imagined. She eased Piper's tank top up her back and over her head, slowly dragging her fingers back down Piper's body.

Cupping a breast in one hand, Alex started her tongue right behind Piper's ear, down her curving neck, across her ivory shoulders, right down to the nipple of the opposite breast. Her flicking tongue met the already hard nipple and she could not resist any more.

Alex turned and rolled Piper off of her lap and onto her back onto the couch, her mouth still wrapped around Piper's breast. As Alex reached back to untuck her shirt, Piper's hands stopped her. Piper then pulled on the material just slow enough to make Alex lose total concentration. Alex stopped sucking and became motionless. Again, time stood still.

Piper thought she was about to explode. She slid her leg between Alex's thighs and dropped her full weight, rubbing and pushing as Alex ripped at the tank, finally getting it off. Piper wrapped her arms around Alex's now naked torso and pulled her strongly into her, back down on her own skin. Piper rose up just enough to find Alex's mouth. That tongue, those lips, she could hardly stand it any longer.

"We have to stop." Alex stopped and pulled herself from Piper's grip. "I can't stand it anymore."

Piper's eyes were fixed widely open. "What… I thought…"

"Yes, I do want you… But I cannot have you with these clothes." Alex quickly removed all articles of clothing from both of them and reached her head down to Piper's stomach.

Alex's tongue on her stomach, so close to her growing wetness, made Piper tremble. "Please Alex," she moaned. "Please touch me."

Alex obliged with what was meant to be a quick pass, but the fire hot moisture that met her fingertips broke all remaining restraint as she plunged her fingers deep within Piper. Piper's low but solid moan told her that indeed was what Piper had wanted. Piper's fingers deeply embedded in Alex's back told her that she was not to stop, Piper's hips raising off the couch allowing Alex to go deeper within her.

Alex moved slowly, knowing that with each long stroke, the agony was building. The wet, velvety texture made her almost lose concentration, but Piper's thigh slowly pressing into her body kept her very much conscious.

"Don't stop Al. Please." Piper squirmed away and off the couch, pulling Alex to her feet as Alex continued to move within Piper. Piper grabbed Alex's face with both hands hand kissed Alex roughly as she backed towards the bed. She sucked Alex's tongue into her mouth as she fell to the bed, pulling Alex with her. As soon as Piper's body hit the mattress, she widened her legs for Alex and pulled Alex's head down to her breast.

The time for sensual foreplay had long passed as this had been building over the last two months. The motions were gentle yet animalistic at the same time. Piper slid her leg back between Alex's who slid her wetness on Piper's thigh. The struggle between feeling Alex work within her body and knowing how turned on Alex was short-lived. "Knees." Piper gasped. She tugged at Alex's shoulders. "Don't fucking stop. Straddle me… on your knees." Piper was demanding. Alex obliged and Piper was now able to reach Alex's core wetness and begin fondling her clit, dragging her fingers through the wetness and back out to rub Alex's clit in circular motions.

Alex threw her head down over Piper, covering her with silky black hair. She gasped in pleasured surprise when Piper ventured deep within her body. Each woman battled to keep her wits about her as the other worked magic on her body. Motions became fevered as neither woman wanted to stop or wanted the other to stop.

This time – their first time – would be together. No control, no power, only pleasure. The night would be long but it would be one they shared with no pretenses or facades, only desire.

* * *

Piper's eyes were heavy with slumber. She remained still, lying on her side. She knew she had been sleeping and was struggling to regain the dream she had just lost the moment she had realized she was awake. She needed that dream, she needed those feelings. "Oh please…"


	7. No Dreams - Reality

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.  
> ~Walt Disney

Piper's eyes were heavy with slumber. She remained still, lying on her side. She knew she had been sleeping and was struggling to regain the dream she had just lost the moment she had realized she was awake. She needed that dream, she needed those feelings. "Oh please –" Piper abruptly stopped. There was a pale arm wrapped around her waist. She could feel the warmth of a body pressed up against her back. She turned, ever so slowly, not to disturb the dream.

Alex's emerald eyes slowly peeked from beneath lazy eyelids. "Good morning Pipes." Alex's smile was unmistakable. This had been no dream. Her dreams had once more become reality thanks to this woman beside her.

"Hey." Only now did Piper allow herself to smile. She had realized that this was one fantasy she would not be waking up from. Alex rolled over on her back and firmly pulled Piper into her side. Her fingers softly drifted across Piper's back, slowly lulling her back to sleep.

* * *

The next time Piper awoke, sunlight was streaming into the bedroom window. She was in bed, alone. But a clatter from the kitchen reminded her that her memories were still not a dream. Piper crawled out of bed and pulled on her crumpled shorts. She tugged her tank top over her head as she emerged from the room.

"Well good morning." Alex's face lit up as Piper came into the kitchen.

"Yes, a  _good_  morning it is indeed," Piper replied as she wrapped her arms around Alex, kissing her.

"I trust you slept well. You barely budged when I got up. I was about ready to come roll your lazy butt out of bed." Alex poured Piper a cup of coffee and topped off her own cup. "But you're up now – just in time." Alex chuckled.

It was a beautiful Saturday. The two women took a walk around the lake. They ended up sitting on the pier on the other side of the lake. Piper thought back to her dreams from a few months back.  _This is where my dreams started. How funny that this is where we are now._  "So tell me about your plan. I think our conversation got a little side tracked last night."

Alex's face turned crimson.

"Did you think you were getting off the hook? I don't think so." Piper was amused, knowing Alex was squirming.

Alex took a deep breath then tried to explain how the entire thing got started. "It sounds silly, doesn't it? I should have just asked you out. I just could not bear the thought of being turned down. Rejection just isn't my thing. At least this way, if you weren't interested, I wouldn't be making us both uncomfortable. You know, mixing business and pleasure." Alex searched Piper's face for reassurance.

"No, it doesn't sound silly at all. I am so glad we're here. Thanks. I did not know how 'obvious' we seemed. I am certainly glad  _someone_  took the initiative. You were Driving. Me. Insane."

The two women continued to talk as they ventured around the lake. They arrived back at the cabin, exhausted. Nevertheless, Alex and Piper decided to take their little party back into town as the cabin had completed its mission. Besides, both women were feeling a little guilty about being away from  _The Place_.

* * *

Alex and Piper pulled into the parking lot after the rush of lunch had slowed down. From the looks of the cars in the lot, they determined which employees were there. Somehow, the two women knew what the conversation inside revolved around. A round of applause and cheers arose from the staff when the couple came through the door.

"Hey you two – you aren't supposed to be here." Celeste was grinning from ear to ear as she gave each woman a hug.

"Well we just couldn't bear to spend the day without seeing your gorgeous faces." Alex, too, had an enormous grin.

There were only a few patrons in the restaurant, so Kristie and Toni pulled two tables together as Celeste fixed a round of drinks for the group. "We want all the juicy details." Celeste was bubbling with excitement at seeing that the plan had apparently worked. "Come on, don't make us beg."

Piper smiled as she looked around at the women. They seemed to be perched on the edges of their chairs. "You all look like a bunch of school girls. Like we are really going to share our secrets." Piper laughed as a chorus of boos circled the table. "I'll tell you one thing we discussed though. I expect each of you to be at the Rainbow Lounge promptly at nine. Girls – we are going to party!"

This shocked all of the women. It kind of surprised Piper herself. She and Alex had briefly joked about doing this; it was kind of a spur of the moment decision for Piper. But the staff deserved it. They had been going non-stop since they opened up  _The Place_. And Piper had been wrapped up in the restaurant as well and wanted to go out with her staff.

_Gosh, it has been years since I have gone to a bar,_ she thought.  _What have I gotten myself into?_  Her thoughts were interrupted as she realized Alex was looking at her.

"Come on," Alex said. She gently took Piper's hand and steered her towards the door. "We are still on vacation. See you girls tonight!"

There was quite a celebration among the staff after the bosses had left. Celeste ran back to the office and retrieved the envelope she had hidden in the back of a file cabinet. She trotted back to the front of the café as she verified the dates. "Damn it! I missed it by a week." She handed the winnings over to Kristie. As she did her eyes grew wide in realization, and she stared at Kristie in disbelief and began to chase her around the room. "You little wench took my plan and arranged this so you could have the pool money!"

The women all got another laugh out of this little tidbit as Kristie tucked the fat envelope of cash into her pocket. "Thanks for dinner!"

* * *

"I'm sorry." Alex held Piper's hand tightly as she drove towards Piper's house.

"For what?" A puzzled look crossed Piper's face.

"I just wanted to take you home. I want to spend some more time with you alone before tonight." The tenderness in Alex's voice was touching.

The Jeep pulled into the driveway. Piper unlocked the door and stepped into the house as Alex followed. No sooner had Piper closed the door, she felt Alex's arms wrap around her. Chill bumps rose quickly on her arms as Alex's tongue flicked along the back of her ear, down her neck.

This time, Alex was in control. She turned Piper around and pressed her against the door as she found Piper's mouth with her own. Their lips locked in an eternal kiss. Alex reached down for Piper's legs and pulled Piper up onto her hips. She could feel the heat of Piper's body as Piper wrapped her legs around Alex's back.

Alex hitched Piper up on her hips and carried her into the bedroom and leaned down until Piper's back touched the bed. When Piper released her grip with her legs, Alex fell on top of her, passion burning deep in both of them, kissing her feverishly. Alex paused only long enough to strip Piper of her clothing and herself as well.

"I don't know if I can stand this Piper. I've dreamed so often of this. I ache so much – with desire, need."

"Then touch me Alex. Kiss me. Explode with me." Piper slipped a single digit between Alex's legs, feeling her moisture, dragging her finger across Alex's stomach to her mouth, sucking the juices off her own sweaty skin.

Unable to resist the ache any longer, Alex reached down for another kiss, her tongue searching for her own taste, her own flavor. Piper turned her head to lick down Alex's chin, her throat, her chest to gather Alex's hardening nipple into her mouth. Piper took Alex's breast into her mouth, softly sucking and flicking her nipple with her tongue. Releasing so she could move to the other breast then back up to kiss Alex again.

Alex slipped her fingers inside Piper, catching her off guard. Piper gasped into Alex's mouth as her body arched, a low moan rumbling from within as Alex withdrew her dripping fingers. Alex traced down Piper's body with her tongue, slipping her arm beneath Piper's bent knee and pulling her thigh closer. Piper moved Alex's leg back over her head and sidled up against Alex, kissing her deeply as she moaned into Alex's mouth. Alex groaned as well. "I long to taste you Pipes. Please."

Alex longingly looked at Piper who was laid out on the bed, sheet pulled up to her waist. Alex's voice grew stronger. "Shall I dare touch you again? Or kiss you more? Kiss you until you let me taste you." Alex wrapped her hand around Piper's breast, fingers encircling her nipple.

Piper's tongue peeked out from her mouth. "But I want to know how wet you are Alex, to fill your heavenly silkiness between my fingers." Alex moaned as she reached between her own legs, and with one soft slow motion, brought a fully moistened fingertip to Piper's mouth, a singular drop glistening and placed it upon Piper's lips.

"That's how wet I am." Alex's deep, husky voice was no match for Piper's resilience to keep her hands to herself. Piper reaches between Alex's legs to feel her, as Alex strained to move closer. With her other hand, Piper reached for Alex's and guided Alex's fingers to her body. The women began to probe each other, mirroring moves, one woman's fingers belonging to the other.

"Mmmm Al, this is…strangely relaxing." Alex chuckled at Piper's words. "I think the most sensual thing about a woman is touch. And this, is the epitome of touch. Just touching and being touched." Piper gasped slightly as Alex shifted to reach deeper into Piper. "Ahhh mmm, yes" Piper removed her fingers from Alex. "Slow, delicate, sensuous strokes." Piper's eyes were rolled back as Alex was still slowly moving in and out of Piper's core. "Fuck. Alex. Don't stop please. Slow."

"I've got you babe. Slow." Alex propped herself up on her other elbow so she could watch the ecstasy in Piper's face. "Your body Piper. Your essence." Piper raised her hips, encouraging Alex to speed up. To go deeper.

Piper could feel her body about to lose all control. Slow was driving her insane. She wrapped her hand around Alex's hair. "Kiss me." She pulled Alex's face into hers and got lost in Alex's lips, tongues and touch. "Fuck Alex. Shit. Ahhhhh. ALEX – Fuck me already."

* * *

Piper pulled Alex's arms around her as she moved on top of Alex. "Guess we need to get up, huh?"

Alex sighed and closed her eyes. "Do you think they will miss us if we don't show up?"

Piper laughed as she rolled off of Alex and out of bed. "You  **know** they will miss us. Come on; let's go." Piper reached down and tugged on Alex's arms. Alex refused to budge. Piper stooped and softly kissed Alex on the forehead. "It's eight o'clock. I'm getting in the shower. We told the girls nine sharp. And you know that if we are late that  **we'll**  be the main topic of discussion."

Alex reluctantly sat up. "Alright boss lady," Alex grinned as she spoke. "You hit the showers and I'll iron. Deal?"

"You got it." Piper gave Alex one more kiss and headed towards the bathroom.

Forty-five minutes later, both women were showered and ready to go. The top was still off of Alex's Jeep, so the two women decided to take Piper's car. After a bit of vehicle jockeying, they were headed towards the bar.

Precisely at nine p.m., Alex and Piper walked through the doors at the club. Boo greeted them. "Hey, I heard you two were throwing a party. Hope you don't mind that I invited myself." Boo was all grins as she hugged both women at the same time. "It's nice to see you together," she whispered into their ears.

Celeste showed up with a pair of beers. "Hey ladies, I am glad you showed up. Of course, this means we will have to find something else to gossip about tonight."

Piper looked at Alex with that  _I told you so_  look.

"Kidding. It's great to have you here, thanks for the invitation for all of us to come here together." Celeste surrendered the two beers to her bosses and returned to the bar for more.

Piper plopped into a chair, taking in the sights around her. The Rainbow Lounge was a nice sized bar; not too small, not too large. She had heard all about the bar from her employees. Coming into the restaurant on a Sunday morning was like walking into a soap opera. The stories these women liked to tell. Although this was the first time Piper had ever stepped foot into the club, she felt as though she knew every nook and cranny. As she looked around, the bar was exactly as she had pictured it in her mind.

_It's nice to be back in the real world, she thought._ She glanced over to Alex who was talking with Boo.  _And what a way to get back into the swing of things._  Piper quickly surveyed her new life. She was quite pleased with everything about it, especially the gorgeous woman she had walked in with.

Toni had wrangled the evening off as well. She and Kristie were on the dance floor. When Kristie caught a glimpse of Piper sitting at the table and came off the floor to say hello.

"Hello, hello." Kristie wrapped her arms around Piper. "Pardon the sweat. We take advantage of the nights when we can both get off together. You can hardly keep us off the dance floor."

"So what do you think about our bar?" Toni asked when she had finally caught her breath.

"Just as I imagined it. I cannot believe that I have waited this long to get out."

"Well, now you have a reason to be here." Toni nodded her head towards Alex. "It looks as though our little idea paid off."

Piper felt the heat creeping up her neck as her face filled with color. "Now you don't go planning our future together."

Upon hearing the women's laughter behind her, Alex glanced over her shoulder. Seeing Kristie and Toni, she came over to say hello. "My, aren't you the dancing fools? You two look fabulous out there."

Toni took a short bow. "Thanks. We've had several years of practice together. I hope to see you drag Piper out there soon. If I did not know better, I would say she looks quite bored sitting here all alone."

Alex pulled a chair alongside Piper's. "Do you dance?"

"Why of course, my almighty manager. I may be a little rusty. But let me get used to being back in the action, and I will dance your ass off!" Piper leaned up and kissed Alex. "I did not come here to sit at a table and drink. I can do that at home!"

Piper leapt from her chair, grabbed Alex's hand and headed towards the dance floor, leaving the crew behind. The instant the two bosses hit the dance floor, the crew was tightly huddled around the table, full of excitement.

"Well, what happened at the lake house?" Boo could hardly stand it. She had not been at the restaurant when Alex and Piper dropped by. "Were we right or what?!"

"See for yourself," Celeste laughed and nodded towards the couple on the dance floor. Alex and Piper were entwined, moving gracefully around the floor. The crowd had yet to arrive, so they had the dance floor to themselves.

"It looks they were made for each other. — Destiny." Kristie stopped short as Toni punched her. "Hey! What was that for?" Kristie rubbed her arm.

"Destiny - don't make light of it. That  **is**  what you said about us getting together."

"Hon, you  **know**  we were fated to be together from the moment we met. You're just jealous that you don't work at  _The Place._  You have a  _straight job._  So there!" Kristie planted a wet kiss on Toni's cheek and gave her a big hug.

"I don't know guys. The job site just won't be the same. It was pretty fun watching them squirm over each other."

"Celeste, come on. We'll just have to find something else to gossip about. Let's dance." Boo pulled Celeste onto the dance floor without waiting for a response. Toni and Kristie followed suit.

* * *

Several songs later, the trio of couples was back at the table. "This place is great." Piper was beaming. "I had forgotten what going out and having a good time was all about." Piper turned towards Alex. "Thanks," she whispered and gently squeezed her hand.

"Don't thank me. Thank them." Alex motioned towards the other two couples. "They were one hundred percent responsible."

"Responsible for what? You guys just needed your eyeballs opened." Nicky's booming voice startled the group. She had walked up to the table unnoticed. "Hey guys. This is Margo. Margo, this is the crew. No comments Boo."

Boo rolled her eyes at Celeste. Celeste shrugged her shoulders and gestured her hands as if to say "I don't know." Despite the bet being called off, Nicky had a new name and face by her side every week or so it seemed. That woman was crazy.

The bar was filling up quite rapidly. Each new song brought another employee up to whisk Alex or Piper off to the dance floor leaving them no time to each other. It seemed as though they were the most popular partners around as their staff seemed determined to not let the two dance with each other. The evening was turning out to be quite a success.

"Piper! Piper and Alex! Would you please come to the DJ booth?" The voice sounded strangely familiar. Alex and Piper made their way to the top of the stairs leading to the DJ booth. Alex grinned and motioned to the booth. Nicky was at the mic.

"Ladies, may I have your attention please? Tonight we have a very special couple with us at The Rainbow Lounge this evening. You know  _that place_  – that new café in Donovan you have all been raving about for the past few months. The place created by women, for women." Several women clapped and a few cheered. "Well this is Piper Chapman and Alex Vause – owner and manager of  _The Place_. These are the two woman responsible for making all it all happen." A cheer arose from the crowd.

"Thanks boss ladies. This one's for you." Nicky bowed as she spun the next record. Piper and Alex had only shared one dance thus far, so each was feeling a little clingy. Alex wrapped her arms around Piper and spun her around. "No other woman is dancing with you tonight because I've missed you."

"I've missed you, too, babe." Piper nestled her head into Alex's shoulders and tightened her grip. The two women danced the night away.


	8. Dreams Revealed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."  
> ― Eleanor Roosevelt

Alex awoke to the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee. She could hear the splatter of water in the shower. She crawled out of bed, pulled on some clothes, and ventured into the kitchen. By the time Piper emerged from the bathroom, Alex was well into her second cup of coffee and fully engrossed in the sports page of the newspaper.

"Good morning." Piper wrapped her arms around Alex from behind and kissed her lightly on the cheek. "I see you found the coffee and paper."

Piper got herself some coffee and joined Alex at the table. Conversation was minimal as the two relaxed and caught up on the happenings of the world.

"Thanks." Alex jumped as Piper's voice broke the silence. Piper folded up the paper and laid it on the table. "Have I told you lately how much I appreciate what you have done for me and for  _The Place_? _"_

"Just about every day, babe. And you're quite welcome. But I won't take all of the credit. This entire idea was yours. You put it on paper. I only managed the details. You need to thank yourself as well."

"The idea wasn't even mine to begin with. It was Samantha's, but that is another story entirely."

"Who's Samantha?"

Piper released a sigh. "Another day sweetheart. I will tell you the whole story another day. Let's talk about  **us**."

Alex laughed. "Yeah, I guess we have both been a little on the shy side lately. I really care for you Piper. I admire you for what you have done for the women of Donovan and the surrounding areas. I will admit that I have been attracted to you since we first met." Alex's grin could not have been larger as she leaned across the table. "You are quite enchanting." Alex reached up and ran her fingers gently across Piper's face.

Piper softly kissed Alex's hand. "And I have been attracted to you for longer than you might expect. Once you came on as my manager though, I figured I had to get over it. You know what they say about relationships in the workplace..." Piper smiled. "Whomever 'they' are."

"That's okay. We did not even have the time to see each other anyway. Besides, I would not trade this weekend for the world. What a way to act on a dream."

Piper chuckled. "Yeah – dreams. Let me tell you. I know all about acting on dreams." She grabbed Alex's hand and pulled her out of the chair. "I want to share some dreams with you. But first you need to shower. We have one final afternoon before we go back to work. This time  **I'll**  do the planning." As Alex went to get ready, Piper set about making a basket for a picnic.

* * *

Piper had gotten up quite early that morning as Alex still slept peacefully in her bed. The sunrise had reminded her of her fantasies of a mystery woman on the lakefront several months back. Piper had pulled out the journal she had been writing in when she moved to Donovan.

There were so many frustrations in her life then. Coping with the loss of Samantha and Joshua, moving to a new town, and starting a new business really had her emotions in upheaval. Then there were those damned dreams that had seemed so authentic and utterly vivid.

The words Piper had written during those stressed days struck her hard and re-reading them was almost painful. But then she thought about the events in her life since the time she had written in her journal. Things were so much better now. So much better.

Business at the restaurant had really taken off. Alex had placed additional advertisements in  _The Labyrinth._  She had also traded some advertising with  _The Rainbow Lounge_. The combination of the ads and word of mouth had brought women into  _The Place_  from all over the area. The four women originally hired had been joined by three others, all lesbians, of course. Everyone on the staff got along splendidly and that added even more to the atmosphere of the café. The ambiance was exactly as Piper had envisioned so many months ago as she roamed the beaches of Key West.  _The Place_ was so much like her plans that Piper did sometimes feel as though she was in a dream. No more dreams though – this is true reality. Samantha would definitely be proud of her.

And then there was Alex. Alex  _had_  to have been sent from above by her own, personal special angels. Alex stepped in and took control. Piper had been so wrapped up in  _The Place_  that she had all but forgotten about the dreams she had after seeing Alex at the lake.

The past two months had drawn the two women much closer than expected. In fact the entire staff was close. Creating a place for women to be comfortable being themselves had left each employee vulnerable to the others. They, too, were finally comfortable about being gay and about working openly as lesbians with other lesbians and not being persecuted for it. It was like a big family at the restaurant. But things between Piper and Alex were even more than that. They had been so relaxed with each other this weekend. Being with Alex made Piper feel as though she had known the black haired manager for years. It felt so enjoyable to finally feel alive again when she thought all parts of her were dead.

 _Now what to do with this beautiful woman. Maybe I will just pack her up and whisk her away to some desolate island._  Piper's thoughts were interrupted as Alex came back into the kitchen.

"What are our plans boss lady?"

"Well I have a story to tell you. And I thought I would take you back to the scene of the crime. How about a picnic at the lake?"

"Does this crime have anything do with a certain cabin?" Alex gathered Piper in her arms to kiss her. God it felt good to finally do what she'd been wanting to do for weeks.

Piper smiled. "Maybe. But I don't think my story is quite what you are expecting. Let's go." Piper had decided to tell Alex about her reoccurring dream and Andrea. It certainly couldn't be damaging at this point. It was only fair since Alex had been the object of her fantasies for quite a while, and they might get a few laughs out of it. Besides Piper was feeling a little guilty about the images she had of Alex before she even knew the woman's rightful name.

* * *

Alex and Piper drove back to Lake Donovan. Piper parked close to the pier. She definitely wanted to go right back to the scene of the crime. She grabbed the picnic basket and motioned for Alex to grab the blankets. They settled beneath a spreading oak tree that sat near the entrance to the pier. Alex spread out the blanket and arranged the items out of the basket.

Alex knelt down to settle herself on the blanket. Piper grabbed her hand. "Oh no - don't get settled just yet. I have other plans for you." Piper pulled Alex back to her feet. "Let's go out on the pier."

The pair strolled down to the end of the pier. Piper flipped off her shoes and plopped down, plunging her feet into the water. Reacting to the icy sting, she jerked her feet back out of the water. "Ooh - it's a little chilly." Both women laughed.

"What do you expect? It's October." Alex sat down and pulled off her shoes. The women eased their feet into the frigid water together. "This is such a beautiful lake. I haven't been out here since the end of the summer. Except for Friday, of course. But you already knew about that." Alex winked at Piper as she leaned over to kiss her.

"August 7th." The date was burned into Piper's mind.

"Huh?" Alex's look was one of pure confusion.

"August seventh. Well, I don't know if that was the last day you visited Lake Donovan last summer, but I do know you were here that Saturday morning. You had a playful time with a little four-legged friend, in the area where our blankets are now."

"Oh was I now? How, pray tell, do you have such knowledge? I don't even have a dog. I was dog-sitting for my landlord this summer though. How funny."

Piper took a deep breath to gather her thoughts. She then began to weave a tale of infatuation, obsession, and lust.

* * *

**_One year later - October_ **

Piper felt a light brush along her cheek, almost a tickle. She swatted at her face, turning over in her sleep. Feeling a weight settle onto the bed beside her, Piper struggled awake and opened her eyes to slits. Alex leaned down to kiss her sleepy girlfriend and lay a single red rose on her pillow several inches from her face. "Happy anniversary Piper."

Piper moaned as she stretched her lethargic body in an attempt to waken it faster. She took the rose, turned to lay on her back, and brought the universal symbol of love to her nose. As she breathed in its aroma, she answered. "Happy anniversary to you, too, Al." Piper's heart warmed with Alex's tender gesture. "You know how I love the smell."

"Tell me." Alex and Piper did this often, encouraging each other to expand upon simple statements.

Piper thought for a few moments. "It's fragrant, like a cheerful spring day. Comforting with a delicate feminine quality." Piper smelled her rose again. "Not overpowering but uplifting, like your gentle smile when you awaken in the morning and look at me with love in your eyes."

Alex leaned in for a more substantial, deeper kiss. "If that is what you think about your rose, I can hardly wait to hear your comments about breakfast."

Piper looked up in surprise to see a tray laden with her favorite breakfast items on the bedside table. "Oh Alex. You are so good to me. Whatever did I do to deserve you?" Piper's emotions sometimes overwhelmed her, and she was struggling to keep back her tears.

Alex remained silent as she often did, allowing her smile and look of adoration for her girlfriend speak volumes. Piper pulled herself to a sitting position in bed. She placed the tray on Piper's lap, and they took turns feeding each other fruits, pastries, and other bits of breakfast.

* * *

The pair's anniversary was a lazy day. The normal October chill had offered them a temporary respite so Alex helped Piper ready her flower beds by planting tulip and crocus bulbs for spring blooming as well as daisies and snap dragons for color to enjoy now. With their busy schedules at the restaurant, the couple enjoyed the time they got to spend together. Days spent alone together such as this were treasured.

Because the fall day was so beautiful, Piper suggested they take a picnic in commemoration of the morning after their first authentic date. Soon Alex and Piper had food spread out on a blanket beneath their favorite sprawling oak tree at the lake, sipping on glasses of wine.

Alex laid back and closed her eyes, enjoying the gentle breeze blowing from across the lake. When she felt a small object being placed on her stomach, she opened her eyes and looked down at the simply wrapped box tied with a red ribbon. Smiling, she said, "Piper. I thought we agreed – no gifts."

Piper laid down beside Alex, grasping her hand. "It's not really a gift. Well it is, but it didn't cost much. Well it might. Oh just open it."

Piper and Alex both turned on their sides, facing each other as Alex untied the bow. Her heart swelled as she loved presents, and now she felt a bit guilty for not getting Piper one despite their agreement. She pulled the lid off the box and began to rummage around the tissue paper. A small key ring with a key attached fell to the blanket. Alex picked it up and looked at Piper questioningly as she knew a key to Piper's house was already on her key ring. They had exchanged keys months ago.

Piper blew out the deep breath she had been holding. "Alex I'd like for you to move in with me. We've never really talked about it because we are such ..."

"Yes." Alex interrupted. Piper looked shocked. "Yes, I'll move in with you." Broad smiles spread across both of the women's faces as they realized what this meant.

Piper giggled. "With the holidays coming up, I thought this might be the perfect time. I know we see each other constantly at work, but I'm ready to see you all the time, be with you all the time. I want to wake up next to you every morning, not just the mornings that we both have off from work. I need you Alex."

Alex reached over, closing the space between the two. She gently pressed her lips against Piper's. "I need you, too, Piper."

* * *

 

Alex had only signed an eighteen month lease when she moved to Donovan, therefore she had no qualms about taking advantage of this anniversary present immediately. While she packed up her belongings, Piper set about clearing space in the closets and drawers in the master bedroom as well as additional storage in the spare rooms. Alex already made her feel special, and her moving in would make Piper feel complete.

Once the move had taken place, and the boxes were unpacked, Piper and Alex began to discuss Thanksgiving. "It's only three weeks away Piper. We have to make some type of plans."

"I am just glad to have you in the same house Alex. Isn't that enough?"

"Piper, it's Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is the day that we take out of our busy lives and offer thanks for our blessings. I have so much to be thankful for this year. I did last year as well, but this year is different. We've had fifteen successful months at  _The Place_. I've been able to utilize my degree in ways that I never imagined possible with my first major job out of college. We have an incredible staff who are also our closest friends. We have each other. My life is full of blessings." Alex was squeezing Piper's hand as she felt particularly strong about this holiday this year.

The entire time Alex was talking, Piper was nodding. "How about we close after breakfast on Wednesday and have a holiday meal for our staff and the people they would like to invite? This would leave Thursday for them to spend with their own families while you and I get fat eating leftover turkey sandwiches while watching chick flicks on Netflix?"

Alex chuckled as Piper's idea sounded ridiculous but perfect at the same time.

* * *

**_Wednesday before Thanksgiving_ **

"Quit eating the pumpkin pie Nicky!" Despite their morning customers, Boo was shouting at the bushy-headed waitress. "That's your second slice and it's only 8 am."

Nicky's voice was garbled as she spoke around the confection she was shoving in her mouth. "In the words of Ernastine Ulmer,  _'Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first'_."

"In the words of Carrie Black, 'Life is more uncertain if Nicky eats any more pie'." Boo shot Nicky a warning look to ensure her message was heard.

Nicky made a face at Boo and returned to the back where preparations were being made for the staff Thanksgiving lunch. The turkey had been perfectly timed, having about four more hours before it needed to be pulled out to rest. The cold sides had been made the previous day, and the hot sides were currently being prepped.

Nicky licked the last bit of whipped cream off her fingers as she finished the second piece of pie. "How can I help? I'd like to earn another piece of pie please." She stood innocently staring at Alex who was smashing sweet potatoes.

Alex glared at the bushy haired waitress. "Go bus the fucking tables out front Nicky. Do your job since you  _actually_  are on shift today."

"Will that get me another piece of pie?"

"NO Nicky, it will get you a paycheck. You can have more pie after lunch and not a minute before. Don't piss me off, or I'll throw pie!"

Nicky frowned that her antics were not rewarded with another slice of her favorite Thanksgiving snack. Dejected, she returned to the front to clean tables.

"Weren't you a little hard on her Al?" Piper's voice always made Alex smile.

"No Pipes. We will be out of pumpkin pie before lunch if she keeps that up."

"Oops." Piper turned her back to Alex and swiftly walked away.

"Oops  **what**  Piper?" Alex looked up from the potatoes to see her girlfriend's hand moving to her mouth. "Piper…" Alex's voice was mockingly menacing.

"Mmm?" Piper turned around, wiping crumbs off her face with the back of her hand.

Alex frowned. "Piper! Not you, too!"

"But Alex, pumpkin is my favorite." Piper smiled innocently as Alex rolled her eyes and went back to her potatoes.

The staff and their friends were seated around tables that had been pushed together in the dining area. The food had been laid out on another set of tables so that it could be served buffet style. Everyone's plate was laden with various assortments of traditional Thanksgiving items. The women were happily chattering among themselves as they stuffed their bellies full of the excellent holiday fare.

Alex stood up and clanged her knife against her glass to obtain everyone's attention. "Piper and I would like to take a few minutes to express our appreciation of the dedication each of you have shown to  _The Place_. The establishment would not have been nearly as successful as it is today without your helping hands. Today – I am thankful for each of you, even for Kristie who has chosen to join us for our employee meal." Kristie had moved to a neighboring town and did not work at café any longer but frequently visited. She looked at Piper, sitting next to her.

Piper stood as Alex took a seat. She looked lovingly at Alex. Today – I am thankful for Alex. I could not be where I am today, professionally nor personally, without Alex Vause." Piper looked at the next woman.

The group went around the room, each telling what they were thankful for that year. When it was Boo's turn, she stood and glared at Nicky. "Today – I'm thankful there is pumpkin pie left." Everyone laughed. Boo spoke again. "Actually, my true thanks goes to Celeste for her wonderful friendship over the last year."

In turn, Nicky stood. "Today – I am thankful for pumpkin pie!" Everyone laughed even harder. They waited for her to speak again. "No guys, seriously. Pumpkin pie tops my list."


	9. Doubt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The only way to tell the next few segments of the story are with time hops and flash backs. I decided not to use italics or bold for these representations. Rather I have placed the time frame at the beginning of the section. Bear with me over the next few chapters as it's important to get the time frames correct to keep track of what's going on. Thanks as always for reading!
> 
> _______________________________________
> 
> "Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will."  
> ― Suzy Kassem

**_Three weeks later (almost Christmas) - Present Day_ **

Alex pushed the front door to the house open as the lock gave way. She stepped in, leaving the door ajar and flung her bag onto the couch. She knelt down to gather up the day's mail from beneath the mail slot. A thick brown envelope instantly grabbed her attention. It had no return address but was postmarked from Key West.

Alex could feel her heart rate increase, and she thought it would beat out of her chest for the writing was undoubtedly Piper's. She laid the other mail on the coffee table and sank onto the couch. Her mind drifted back to an afternoon a few weeks earlier, the week after Thanksgiving.

* * *

**_Flashback two weeks prior (right after Thanksgiving)_ **

Alex had gone to the restaurant. A new employee had begun work that day, and she wanted to assure that Nicky was having no problems training her. It had been difficult for her to let other people shoulder some of her responsibility. She should have been proud to have such a successful restaurant under her management. She had great faith in Nicky but still had to check on the fuzzy haired woman to reassure herself.

Alex had been gone a couple of hours, visiting with customers and piddling around with some paperwork. Piper had seemed to have a lot on her mind in recent days. Alex thought it would be a good idea to allow her some time alone at the house. Her blonde girlfriend had seemed a bit out of sorts that day. So Alex stayed in town a little bit longer than usual to allow Piper to have some extra time to be alone.

They had a huge celebration on the anniversary of the grand opening of  _The Place_ this past August, and two months later brought her own anniversary with Piper asking Alex to move in to her house. Since Alex had recently moved in, they had literally been inseparable. The Thanksgiving lunch had added to the normal workload, but Alex thought the stress was well worth it – as is with any family gathering.

"Piper? Hey hon, I'm home. Where are you?" There had been no answer. Alex glanced around downstairs for her girlfriend. She saw nor heard no signs of activity. A quick glance in the garage explained the silence as Piper's car was missing.

_I wonder where she went. I don't remember her telling me any plans._ Alex was a bit confused, but such things were fairly normal around their house. Piper had probably gone to the store. Alex wandered into the kitchen. She began to ready some steaks for supper. She thought it would be a nice surprise for Piper – a quiet evening at home, watching a romantic movie.  _That's it. Maybe Piper just needs some TLC. I haven't exactly been that attentive because we've been busy. That should never be an excuse though._

* * *

Alex ventured upstairs to clean their bedroom and gather some laundry. As she climbed the stairs, she got an eerie feeling. Something just didn't feel right. As she walked into the bedroom, she saw a beautiful red rose alongside a note lying on the bed. Alex smiled at the thoughtful gesture of her lover, thinking about what Piper had described how a rose smelled on their anniversary. Alex laid on the bed and began to read. Her smile soon turned to a frown.

_I love you Alex. I hope you know that. I don't mean to hurt you._ Alex felt the tears well up in her eyes as she continued.  _Please know that this is best for me right now. Don't doubt that I love you. I just have some things that I have to do, for me, by myself. I promise to tell you why as soon as I can. Please trust me for now. I hope that you will understand someday. I know my words don't help you today. I am sorry babe, but I didn't know what else to do._

Alex finished the note. Piper had left. She didn't say where she had gone or even why she had left. She had simply walked out the door. Alex could not believe Piper was not here. She re-read the note, the written words burning into her mind.

_I will get in touch with you as soon as I get things straightened out with myself. I love you my sweet dear. Yours, Piper._

Alex's tears stained the page, blurring some of the ink. She laid back on the bed, smelling the rich, sweet smell of the rose. It was an ironic mix of the pain of Piper leaving and the beauty of the lovely flower. Alex felt so lost, so empty.

_Why? Why now?_  They had just celebrated their first year of life together. Hell Piper had asked her to move in. Things could not have been better at the café. Business was booming. Piper had even talked of opening a bed and breakfast or a retreat type of place out on the lake.

Alex read the note over and over. Apparently Piper had more on her mind then Alex had realized. She felt guilty for not having been more aware of her girlfriend's troubles. But then again, things had been going so damned well. The more Alex thought, the more she got frustrated. Her heart was being ripped out of her chest leaving a gaping hole dripping the life from her being.

Alex realized she was still holding the rose. Enraged, she grasped the flower and ripped the petals from the stem and attempted to throw them against the wall. When the petals only floated gently to the floor, Alex became infuriated. She rolled over, grabbed the alarm clock from beside the bed, ripped the cord from the wall, and launched it into the dresser mirror, shattering the silvered glass into pieces.

The tears of disbelief turned to anguish and disbelief, running in rivulets down Alex's face, her guttural cries bubbling from deep in her stomach, escaping her throat. Alex heard a disconnected, tortured scream coming from the inside the house. As her body trembled in anger and frustration, she realized that the tormented cries were coming from her mouth. Leaping from the bed, Alex paced the bedroom she had only recently begun to share with the woman who had just abandoned her, she began to rant aloud.  **"What did I do? Was I really that incompetent of a girlfriend for her to leave me so soon? FUCK!"**  She swept the top of the dresser clean, pulled out drawers and scattered their contents across the floor, and tried to destruct anything on which she could lay her hands.

As Alex quickly realized that trashing the bedroom was not being productive, she collapsed on the bed once more, clutching the note in her shaking hands. Her sobs were slowly subsiding as her body could not handle the emotional overload.  _Did I not love her enough? Where did I go wrong?_

* * *

**_Present Day_ **

Alex laid the unopened brown envelope on the table, got up and retrieved the first note from the bedroom. Although she had read it dozens of time over the past two weeks, she read it once more. Then she examined the envelope which was addressed in Piper's handwriting. But the Key West postmark had Alex confused.  _What would Piper be doing in Florida? She picked a hell of a time to go on vacation. And to Florida to top that._

Alex went to the kitchen and returned with a beer. Twisting off the cap, she settled back and opened the envelope that had just arrived. She pulled a plane ticket and another short note.

_Dear Alex,_

_I know you must be incredibly angry and upset with me. I never meant to hurt you, and I know that I have. But I think I am ready now._

Alex stopped reading and drained her beer. "Ready for what, I wonder? A divorce. We aren't even married!" Alex's voice dripped with sarcasm, disgust. Her pain had morphed the longer Piper stayed gone. Alex had been anxious, worried, the entire gamut of emotions, and now she was at anger. Indeed she was a bit relieved to know that Piper was okay, but she was pissed at having to worry so long.

_I have a lot to tell you. I only hope that you will give me a chance to explain. Enclosed is a plane ticket to Key West. That's where I have been, if you haven't figured it out yet._

"Key West! I wonder how much this is costing?" Alex shouted in an attempt to relieve some of the building frustration. Alex had no idea about Piper's personal financial situation. All she knew was Piper had opened the restaurant with no debts. Everything, including the building, had been paid for, in full, before Alex even came into the picture. Alex had never given this a second thought. She did know that they lived solely on the earnings of  _The Place._

Since Alex managed the numbers, and she knew that Piper could not have taken much money with her. And here she has been in one of the top winter vacation spots in the United States. Alex pondered this for a moment as she opened another beer. She then continued reading.

_The decision is yours. I will understand if you choose not to come, but I hope with all of my heart that you will. I love you dear. I'll be waiting. Always, Piper_

Now Alex was in shock. She did not have the slightest idea what her feelings were now. She was angry that Piper had taken off, yet relieved that she was okay. She was upset at being alone but the thought of losing Piper forever upset her even more. And on top of that finding out her lover had been in Key West for two weeks on who knows what money. She was thoroughly frustrated.

Alex's thoughts raced through her exasperated mind.  _Of course I am going to go. I'd be a fool not to. I love her so much. But at the same time, if I run down there at her whim, I could be stepping into a self-inflicted torture chamber._  Alex could not stand the intensity of the emotions that surged through her body. She finished the second beer and headed for more.

_To hell with it,_  Alex thought and got an ice chest from the garage. She filled it with the remaining beer in the fridge, iced it down and threw it in the back of her Jeep. She grabbed both notes, the plane ticket, and her keys and headed out the door. She wasn't sure where she was headed, but she knew that she could not stay at the house.

* * *

Alex pulled up to the pier at the lake. She settled herself under the oak tree that had been "theirs" for the past year. It was Piper's favorite place as this is where it had all began. The couple had spent many hours here, swimming, fishing, and barbecuing. It had become quite the special place. Now as Alex sat beneath the sprawling tree, she realized just how lonely she had been during the past two weeks.

Piper's letters were in Alex's jacket pocket, but she did not read them anymore. She fingered the plane ticket in her lap. Then she pulled a harmonica out of her pocket and started to play. The notes blended together so easily now. It had taken a lot of practice, but she was becoming quite proficient now. After Piper had told Alex about  _Andrea_ , her dream woman and the harmonica on the pier, Alex had learned to play. She did it as a surprise for Piper's birthday.

The girls at the restaurant had taken Piper for a drive on the afternoon of her birthday. Eventually they ended up at the lake. They let her out by the pier and left. As Piper ventured out onto the pier, Alex started playing the harmonica from behind the tree. When Piper finally realized she was hearing the notes, she was startled. She looked around, searching for the source of the harmonica tunes. She immediately zeroed in on Alex leaned against the tree, playing the harmonica. Piper's face beamed in joy at her lover's efforts.

That day had been great. Piper had really been impressed at Alex's new talent. Andrea and the dreams had become a personal joke between them. And Alex had taken every advantage of Andrea's special talents.

That had been back in July; now it was December. Alex was back beneath the tree, playing her harmonica. Except this time, she was alone and cold. Somehow the pleasure just was not the same. Alex's harmonica fell to her lap as she covered her face with her hands, her body heaving as she sobbed.

She hurled the harmonica into the lake as hard as she could. If Piper could not enjoy the music, then Alex would not either. Alex then proceeded to finish the beer in the ice chest. She may not be able to play her harmonica without Piper, but she was drinking long before Piper ever came into the picture.


	10. Brighter Days?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "I know it seems hard sometimes but remember one thing. Through every dark night, there's a bright day after that. So no matter how hard it get, stick your chest out, keep ya head up... and handle it."  
> ― Tupac Shakur

Alex awoke at the splatter of raindrops on the soft top of her Jeep. She flipped on the dome light and looked at her watch.  _Damn. I must have really been tired._  It was 5:45 am. Alex had fallen asleep in her Jeep at the lake. From the number of the beer bottles littered around the oak tree, it looked as though it was a good thing she had not gotten on the road. She threw her slicker over her head and ran to gather the debris. After she cleaned up her clutter, she sped off towards the house.

Alex pulled into the garage and cleaned out her Jeep. She then went upstairs and took a hot shower. Her body was sore from sleeping in her vehicle. The steaming water pounding on her back was relaxing. Alex spent quite a while in the shower which made a world of difference in her body as well as her mind.

Alex toweled off and slipped on Piper's thick terry cloth robe. She gathered the material around her face and breathed deeply. Piper's perfume lingered on the robe. Alex loved that smell. It made her feel as though Piper was right there next to her. She smiled and smoothed the robe down over her body.

The plane ticket laid on the dresser. Alex picked it up and checked the itinerary. Her smile soon turned to horror. The ticket was for a flight leaving at 8:43 this morning. It was now 7:00, and the airport was a forty minute drive from their house in Donovan. If she wanted to see Piper, she had to get going.

Alex panicked. There was so much to do and she had to leave quickly if there was any chance of making the flight. Her first thoughts were about the restaurant. She looked at the plane ticket again. It was an open-ended ticket with no return date. Alex did not even know how long she was to be gone.

She raced downstairs and grabbed her cell phone and returned upstairs. She dialed Celeste's number, put it on speaker, and began throwing clothes onto the bed to be packed. Celeste had mentioned wanting to work some extra hours after semester finals during the holidays. Her schedule had increased some, but she was about to get a lot more than she bargained for.

Celeste finally answered the phone. "This had better be good at seven am on a Sunday morning," she grumbled.

"Hey! Good morning!" Alex stopped searching for clothes and sat on the edge of the bed. She had realized exactly how little time she had to explain the situation. "Do you have plans for today?"

"Hey boss lady. Good morning to you, too. Nope. I have no plans. Do you need me to go into work?"

"Kind of, but not at the restaurant. I need you to drive me to the airport."

"That's not work, but sure, I will take you. When do you need me to pick you up?'

Alex laughed. "Now. I am late. Can you do it?"

"Of course Alex. Let me throw on some clothes. I'll be on my way shortly."

"Bring Boo. I can use you both."

"Okay, but she won't be alive!"

"Thanks Celeste. You are a lifesaver. I will see you soon. Bye."

Alex hung up and threw the phone on the bed. She was relieved that she had some extra time to take care of the restaurant, as if forty minutes could be considered ample time to arrange everything. But at least now she could focus her attention on packing.

Alex dug an athletic bag out of the hall closet. Getting to the airport this late would mean she would have to carry on her bag. She looked over the clothes she had thrown on the bed. She groaned with the realization that she had taken out winter clothes, suitable for December in Donovan.  _Key West. I know that Florida won't be comfortable in these clothes._  She would need the summer clothes that were mostly put away for the time. Now Alex was thoroughly frustrated. The sense of urgency overwhelmed her. She flopped on the floor beside the dresser. From the bottom drawers, she managed to find a couple of pairs of shorts and some lightweight T-shirts.

 _This will have to do_ , she thought as she stuffed them in her bag. She found a file box she had stored in the top of the closet. After a few moments of searching, she came up with a credit card.  _That's what they make plastic for._

Since Alex came on as  _The Place's_  manager, she had managed to pay off all of her credit cards. She had not planned on using them again, but she had kept one to use in an emergency. This pretty much qualified as an emergency. Whatever she did not bring from home, she could purchase it in Florida. Alex gathered a few more essentials and took her bag downstairs. It was 7:20. Celeste and Boo had not arrived yet, so she sat at the table and began to make out a list of things that she needed to tell them about  _The Place._

* * *

Shortly, Celeste and Boo pulled up. Alex heard the gravel crunch beneath the tires as they pulled into the driveway. By the time they sounded the horn, Alex was out the door. She opened both garage doors and motioned Celeste to pull into the empty slot. Alex grabbed her bag, keys, and plane ticket.

"Let's take my Jeep. Your car can use a break." They both had done exactly as Celeste had said – crawled out of bed and thrown on some clothes. If Alex had realized how little time she had to catch the plane, she would have done the same thing. She was thankful for the shower though. At least one thing had worked out well today.

Celeste drove and Boo rode in the passenger seat. Alex chose the back seat so she could go through the paperwork and list scribbled out while waiting on the pair to arrive. They were on their way at 7:30. That gave them enough time to get to the airport with a small bit of extra time to spare to get checked in.

"What's up boss?" Celeste glanced over her shoulder at her boss who was frantically shuffling paper in the back seat. "You look like you have been through the wringer."

"Hell, I feel like it, too." Alex had not told them that Piper had left her. She had told the crew that Piper had taken some time off to visit her family. Piper had never even talked about family, but Alex did not know what else to say _._  She had wanted to buy some time in case Piper came back soon to save everyone the worrying she herself had done the past two weeks. So far, nobody had questioned Piper's absence. Alex could only speculate how her own leaving would affect things.

"I got this plane ticket in yesterday's mail. I guess Piper got lonely. So I am flying to meet her."

"Where are you going?"

Alex laughed. "I shouldn't tell you. You'll probably stop the Jeep, kick me out, and leave me stranded." All three women laughed. "Key West."

"Ooh girl! You didn't tell us  _The Place_  was doing  **that**  well. You two are just off on a winter vacation! I'm jealous. How long will you be gone?"

"That's the problem, I don't know. Piper has been very mysterious lately. That's why I wanted the two of you to take me to the airport. Celeste, I know asked for extra hours and there weren't many available in the schedule. Do you still want the extra cash?"

Celeste grinned. "Sure boss."

"Good. Do you think the both of you can handle operations on your own for a while?"

Boo looked at Celeste and chortled. "Sure. I have nothing else to do but to run a restaurant. Into the ground maybe."

"Don't be like that! I have faith in both of you Boo. I certainly appreciate this, especially on such short notice. I promise that you both will be compensated well. So there is the extra Christmas hours you wanted Celeste."

Alex gave them the paperwork and a few instructions and promised to call as soon as she got to Florida. She was utterly relieved that they agreed to help out. She knew they would love the extra work, but to have them actually agree took a huge weight off of Alex's shoulders. "And for God's sake, use my Jeep until we return. It certainly won't do anybody any good sitting in the garage.

"You have a deal boss." Boo had finally come alive and was returning to her lively self. "What time does your plane leave?"

"8:43. It looks like we are going to make it after all."

"Great – it's a teeny tiny itsy bitsy airport. You have plenty of time! Celeste pull off. If I don't get some coffee and food, I think I might die!" Boo had a penchant for being dramatic. All of the women laughed in agreement. Celeste pulled off at the next exit and they did a quick run in the first place they came across. They reached the airport in the nick of time, and Alex was on her way to Key West.

* * *

As soon as Alex was in the airport and safely through security, Celeste and Boo headed back to the Jeep. "So what's up with those two?" Celeste unlocked the vehicle and both climbed in.

Boo shrugged her shoulders. "Who knows? Alex and Piper are the mystery women who appeared out of nowhere. I would bet that those two women have more past than all of the staff put together. I can feel it."

Celeste shoved the Jeep into gear and pulled away from the airport. "But I'm glad they came along. My life needed this."

"Didn't all of ours? I never imagined my life revolving around a restaurant."

Boo grinned. "Yeah and they'll find out how well we run  _The Place_  without them and they won't return. Ha! What do we know about a business?"

"Hey," Celeste objected, "collectively, we helped create  _The Place_. Piper just had a building and some ideas.  _The Place_  has a piece of all of us inside it. I think we know  **exactly**  how to run the restaurant."

At the luncheon after Piper's first meeting, each women took on a task she felt she could do best. Everyone decided how she each could maximize her own contribution to the new café.

Nicky was the musically inclined woman of the group. She adopted the entertainment branch. After ensuring the sound system was set up just right, Nicky developed different musical plans for different times and for separate days. The breakfast mode was much up-beat and pick-me-up than was lunch. Weekends were much different than weekdays. She made hours and hours of playlists, each to be played at a specific time and a specific volume. She also started a collection of records for a rare "DJ night". Alex had recently approved a DJ lunch every third Saturday to see if it would draw enough business to make it a regular event.

Kristie had the most waitressing experience so she took on organizing wait stations, scheduling, and all the particulars that came with a smooth running wait staff. She also spent many hours with Piper on the computer, setting up layouts for the tables and decor.

Boo and Celeste approached the most difficult task of the food, although it turned out to be a much easier task than first thought. They visited dozens of restaurants and coffee shops in the area to get ideas of the layout and selection of the menus. The menu was kept relatively simple; soups, salads, and sandwiches along with breakfast pastries which were acquired from the nearby bakery.

The six women worked seemingly non-stop. Boo and Celeste had been trying out their ideas with the staff each day. They took advantage of the tight schedule to shower their co-workers with food. They served their menu ideas, item by item, making all of the foods they would soon be serving to the public. This turned out to help tremendously in solving problems before they opened.

The women worked diligently every day. They worked together as if they had been lifelong friends, almost as if a force from a higher authority was guiding them. True to the promise of Alex Vause,  _The Place_  opened a week and a half later on Friday afternoon. Through a swarm of advertising both at  _The Rainbow Room_ and in  _The Labyrinth_ ,  _The Place_ opened with a surprising crowd.

Faces soon became familiar as women returned and brought their friends. A small yet steady stream of customers grew and grew. Soon there was hardly any time from open to close when there were not patrons in the establishment.

Alex and Piper rolled up their sleeves and worked alongside the girls. They cooked, waited tables, the works. It was a tremendous step towards creating the "family" Piper was so desperately wanting to develop. After a few weeks of hard work, Alex convinced Piper to allow her to hire additional staff so they could fall into their supervisory roles. But even so, it was common to find Piper wandering around, ensuring everything was in place and running smoothly. The patrons seemed to be impressed by the way Piper ensured their every need was met.

Maybe that is what made  _The Place_  so successful. The women that frequented the restaurant raved about the excellent service and atmosphere. It was said that no matter how busy  _The Place_  got, you felt as though you were that waitress' only table. Complaints were nonexistent, unless you counted the women who wanted extended hours.

 _The Place_  originally was open early morning through late-afternoon. Giving in to numerous requests, the weekend hours were changed to open at 1 am to accommodate the women who liked to have a place to chill and possibly sober up after a late night on the town.  _The Place_  was definitely "the place" to eat in and around Donovan. It seemed as though the women in the area were starved for someplace to go where they could be themselves, away from prejudices and judgment passed by the "norm" of America.

Boo and Celeste had become exceptionally close while they worked on the opening. While scouting the other restaurants, they had plenty of time for conversation. They found their likes and interests to be quite similar. They were two peas in a pod, except that Celeste was an average looking woman – typical – and Boo was the typical dyke.

Celeste roomed with a man whom most would consider on the odd side of the human spectrum. Unfortunately the roommate situation was out of necessity for her since working full time had a tendency to pull her grades down so she could only work part time during school. She could not afford a place by herself while she was in school. But his late hours and strange tendencies were definitely taking their toll.

"You know Boo. I don't feel like I actually live there. Everything is his. Plus when his girlfriend comes over, I have to disappear. He literally tells me that I cannot make an appearance in my own apartment. I either have to leave or stay locked in my room. And to even think of  **me**  bringing someone, even a friend, over... Hell, I doubt he even realizes I'm gay. I don't know. It's so difficult to study because I like to spread out in the living room but he always has people over. And when he isn't home, I don't sleep well because I know he will come traipsing in at some wee hour. I'm worried. Midterms are coming up. I can't blow my grades now."

Boo took Celeste's hand. "Why don't you stay at my house for a few days? The break would do you good. You know I have plenty of room." Boo was renting a house from a retired couple. The couple had relocated to a warmer climate but did not want to sell their home. So in exchange for maintenance and upkeep, Boo rented the house from them at an extremely reduced rate. Celeste agreed. She definitely needed a break from the cramped apartment and from the freak.

Celeste spent most of her time at Boo's. It was indeed a well-needed respite. Soon midterms were behind her. But before either of them realized it, finals were here. And Celeste was still at Boo's, living out of a suitcase.

"People are beginning to talk, you know." Boo gently brushed Celeste's hair away from her face. The girls at work would harass Boo to no end if they saw how tender she was being with her best friend. It would definitely ruin her image.

"I guess I forgot to go home. I do enjoy your company though. Plus you are so much cuter than the freak." Celeste settled into Boo's lap. "And squishier! I'm so glad you agreed to a draw with Nicky on that stupid sex contest you started when we first opened. I think I was jealous."

"No need to be jealous Celeste." Boo grinned. "It was just a fun way to see how far I could push Nicky. Why don't you just move in here, you know, completely? I mean, you're over here all the time. Neither of us can stand your creep roommate. Why help him with the rent? In fact, you wouldn't even have to pay rent. Just live here, like now, but with all of your stuff here."

Celeste was shocked. "I don't know what to say. You've been so nice to me already. I can't let you do that Boo."

"What to say? Say yes. Your last final is in the morning. Neither of us have to work tomorrow, so let's get you in here then. I won't take no for an answer."

"Thanks Boo. You're great. But I insist on splitting your measly rent with you. It's only fair."

* * *

It was near three in the afternoon when Boo pulled the Jeep into the parking lot. Boo and Celeste headed directly to  _The Place_. Alex had given her a makeshift checklist of things that had to be done, and they wanted to get an early start, not wanting to miss even a minor detail. "Well Celeste,  **we**  are in charge. Now what?"

"I don't know. But this could be pretty fun. Alex is so laid back. I think that  _management_  is afraid to mess with the formula of  _The Place_." Celeste grinned. "But if we mess up..."

"We could fix things before they got back," Boo finished. "Nothing drastic. We'd both be left without a job if something terrible happened."

The lunch crowd was just thinning out when they arrived. One of the newer but established servers was out front. Nicky was floating from front to back as she trained a new cook.

"Hey guys. You aren't on schedule today, are you?"

Boo playfully punched Nicky in the shoulder. "Things okay here?"

"Of course. We've had the normal quiet group for a Sunday. Routine. Hey, do you know if Alex's around? I tried calling but only got voicemail."

Boo laughed. "No, she's not around. In fact she nor Piper will be here for a while. It seems as though they had the winter blues or something. Celeste and I just got back from taking Alex to the airport. Those bums are in Florida. What a life!"

Nicky was shocked. "You mean they have a life outside this restaurant? I'm hurt, and all this time I thought they couldn't make it even three days away from here. So when will they be back?" Nicky turned to wipe off a table.

"That's the weird part. Alex had no idea when she'd be back. She asked us to take care of things while they were gone."

"Hmm..." Nicky pondered this for a while. "Does this mean we can throw a party?" It was plain to see the wheels turning in her head.

"Hold up killer. No deviations from the norm just yet."

"Just yet? So you've thought it, too? Come on, it'd be fun. That's what I wanted to talk to Alex about anyway. We need a Christmas bash."

"I feel like I am back in high school. The folks are gone, so it's party time." Celeste shook her ass as she spun in a circle and grinned. "Let's just lay low for a while. I don't know how long they'll be gone. And it's up to us to keep this place going in their absence."

Nicky grinned from ear to ear. "Whatever. But I am sure you will relent. If not, I'm gonna say fuck 'em and feed 'em fish heads."

"Watch it, I may end up being tougher than Alex herself, although that'd be quite a feat." Boo jumped as she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey. What are you two gossiping about?" The other waitress had come over to join in on the conversation.

Celeste filled her in on the owner and manager's trip away. "Would you two like some extra hours? Alex was really concerned about operations since she had to leave on such short notice for an indefinite time. She told me to pull ourselves off the schedule which frees up plenty of hours."

"Sure," Nicky exclaimed.

"Great! I have to go rework schedules. But after shut down tonight, plan on staying after and we'll hit the details." With this the women got back to work. Boo and Celeste headed to the office to get organized.

* * *

Now that Alex had made it through security just in the nick of time, she had the rest of the morning during the flights to think about the situation with Piper. She felt the letters which were stuffed in her pocket burning a hole through the fabric. Alex had no need to read them. Every word was ingrained on her aching heart.

During the past two weeks, she had experienced every emotion known to womankind. Alex was surprised that she now finally felt relief. She had been worried about Piper and questioned her safety and what had happened to her. Alex then became almost disgusted with her excitement to be on the plane, headed towards the Florida Keys.  _Like this is some sort of vacation_.

The more Alex thought, the more flustered she became. She did not know which emotion was winning: anger at being hurt or joy of being remembered. She finally fell asleep with pure exhaustion. Actually sleep was the best thing for Alex. She had no idea what awaited her in the Sunshine State.


	11. Going Backwards to Move Forward

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are back to the time shifts as well as setting shifts. Bear with me as these are key to understanding what's going on.  
> \----------------------------------  
> "Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards."  
> ― Søren Kierkegaard

**_Present day, Key West_ **

Piper saw the plane taxi into its gate. Her heart raced as the stairs were rolled to the plane, the door popped open, and passengers began to file out. She did not know if Alex would come. Piper did not even know if she would consider it. Two weeks ago, Piper had gotten absolutely overwhelmed, packed a small bag and taken off without a word to anyone. She had to get away. To temporarily remove herself from her present and rethink her past. Piper hoped she could explain everything in a way so that Alex would understand and accept what Piper had to do.

Piper's heart fluttered as Alex stepped through the doorway of the plane. "She came. Oh my, I can't believe she came!" An older couple turned to stare at Piper as she shouted this aloud. Oblivious to them, Piper raced to the TSA exit door to meet Alex.

"Oh babe, I'm so glad you decided to get on that plane. I'm so, so, so sorry." Piper wrapped her arms around Alex. "I love you."

"I love you, too." Alex pulled away and glanced at the people around them. She leaned back into Piper and kissed her softly.

Piper chuckled as she grabbed the bag that Alex had dropped. "Let's go. I know I have a lot of explaining to do."

"You've got that right." Alex's emotions were shifting from relief to see her girlfriend back to anger at the situation. She followed Piper back through the airport. When they exited the other side of the terminal, Alex motioned for a cab.

"No darling. I drove." Piper crossed the driveway and headed towards the short-term parking lot. "That's it, the blue one." Piper motioned with a nod of her head, made her way to the car, and threw Alex's bag into the open back seat of a steel blue, 1964 1/2 convertible Mustang.

"My Piper, when you disappear, you disappear in style. I bet your cards are maxed out to be vacationing in Florida and driving the car of  _my_  dreams." Alex couldn't hide the sarcasm dripping in her voice.

Ignoring Alex's mood, Piper smiled. It had been hard to keep the car a secret once she learned that Alex had a passion for classic Mustangs. "Well sweetie, as I said before, I have a lot of explaining ahead of me." Piper didn't even know where to begin.

"It feels great here. I am going to definitely have to change clothes soon though."

Piper looked at Alex's clothes and laughed. Alex had the sleeves of her sweatshirt pushed up past her elbows and still looked quite uncomfortable.

"I had to pack twice. I was almost done when I realized it's not twenty degrees like in Donovan. So I might have to go find some more clothes." Alex then gave Piper a brief run-down of her hectic morning. "I didn't know how I was going to make that flight. I was afraid I would never see you again."

Piper grasped her girlfriend's hand and squeezed. "I wouldn't do that to you Alex. I could never give up as easily as that although I'm sure you have doubted me quite a bit the past few weeks. I have to say I was quite relieved to see you get off that plane."

The two sat in silence as Piper maneuvered her way out of the parking lot and out of the airport. The two drove in silence; Alex enjoying the sun, and Piper enjoying Alex's presence.

"I'm sorry. I don't know what else to say." Piper broke the silence as she reached over and pulled Alex's hand to her lap. She glanced at her lover and saw tears well up in Alex's eyes. "Do you want to talk about all this now?"

Alex shook her head, fighting back the tears as she looked away from Piper at the passing scenery. "Pipes, I missed you so much. I trust you'll tell me everything. But can we wait? I don't think I can do this with you driving."

"Alex, I love you. I promise to explain every bit of it and hope you'll understand. But, yes, it can wait." Piper squeezed her lover's hand. "It was great to see you step off that plane. Are you hungry?"

"No, I'm hot! Can we just go to the hotel so I can change?"

"Hotel? Oh no my dear. Not hotel." Piper laughed as she saw another perplexed look come across Alex's face.

"Okay. Let me get this right. You suddenly disappear. I find you in Florida. You say you are not in a hotel and you are driving my fantasy car. What did you do? Rob a bank? Transport large amounts of heroin across international borders?"

"Me? Never. I own a beach house down here, and I own this car. But that's all part of my story. It can wait." Piper then refused to answer the barrage of questions Alex shot at her. She just shook her head and drove.

"How's  _The Place_? Who do you have running it while you are down here gallivanting with me?"

"The restaurant is running great. There's not much to take charge of though. It practically runs itself. I'm beginning to feel useless except for the petty details."

"Well dear, you certainly are not useless, to  _The Place_  or to me. That restaurant would have never gotten to where it is today if it had not have been for you. You've done a fabulous job. I never had an idea about what all went into the restaurant business. It was overwhelming, and without you, I would have failed."

Alex chuckled. "Overwhelming is to say the least. Yet all of the pieces fit so well. I don't know what I would have done if something had  **not**  fallen into place."

The women chatted about business for the rest of the drive. It eased the tension and was much easier to bear than silence.

* * *

Alex's eyes widened as Piper pulled the car down the long stretch of a driveway. There, not two hundred yards from the beach, was a beautiful house perched high on stilts. A dozen or so boxes crowded the driveway beneath the house. Several trash bags, stuffed brimful, lined the edges of the walk.

"Spring cleaning?"

"Something like that." Piper grabbed Alex's bag and motioned her upstairs. "Come on up."

Alex followed Piper upstairs and changed clothes. When she returned to the living room, Piper had a picture album opened on her lap, thumbing through the pictures. Piper smiled at Alex. "Sit down Al. I have a lot to tell you." Piper patted the couch beside her as she flipped to the front of the album. The front picture was an eight by ten of Piper with another women and a little boy.

"Who's this?" Alex questioned.

"This is Samantha," Piper said, pointing to the woman. "We were together eight years. And this is Joshua, our son."

Alex was dumb-founded as the name tickled something in her memory. She looked around, almost expecting to see this new family to walk out of a room.

"No, they aren't here. They are there." Piper waved her hand towards the ocean.

* * *

**_Flashback Twelve Years Ago, Virginia_ **

"Have you ever thought about kids Piper?" Samantha wrapped her arms around Piper. "Wouldn't it be wonderful to have a responsibility greater than taking care of the dogs?"

That is how it all began. The idea to have a child had been Samantha's. She and Piper had been together over five years, and Samantha felt their relationship was strong enough to bring a child into the world.

Samantha came from an affluent family. Her mother and father passed away when Samantha was still in high school. She was left well provided for and in the care of her aunt. Her aunt had not been overly pleased to find that her brother's only daughter was a lesbian, but Samantha was like her own child and she accepted Sam as she was.

Samantha's inheritance along with her lawyer's salary meant that the expense of raising a child wouldn't be an issue. So when Samantha brought up the idea, they discussed the idea at great lengths. They had been together quite some time. Both women felt their relationship was stable enough for a child.

After much research into their options, adoption through an agency was placed aside. In that day in age, being gay was still not widely acceptable. The agencies they talked with told them, in no uncertain terms, their application would be hindered greatly, if not flat out rejected, because they are lesbians. The women looked into private adoptions and into going overseas. Many countries had an incredible number of orphans and were less stringent with policies. In those countries, it was more about money. The process was long and arduous yet neither woman gave up.

Piper continued her work at the AIDS Center and had grown increasingly close with many of the clients actually becoming a part of their lives as they struggled with this horrible disease. There was one woman with whom Piper became quite close. She was coming more regularly as she made arrangements to move into hospice. She was at the point where she could barely take care of herself, more or less her child. Piper often sat with her holding her infant son during her meetings because she was so weak.

"You are a natural Piper." Her smile was weak but genuine.

Piper looked at the client, her friend, then looked back down to the swaddled baby she was bouncing in her arms. "He's so precious Lilly. You are lucky to have such a healthy baby as ill as you've been for so long."

A frown crossed Lilly's face as she stared at her baby in the other woman's arms. As tears began to fall, Lilly spoke again, her voice breaking. "Piper, I don't know what's going to happen to him. When I go into hospice, I have to turn him over to the state. Even if I live only three months or another three years, it's likely I'll never see him again. Oh Piper what if his foster parents are horrible?" It was evident that guilt was chewing Lilly's emotions which would weaken her immune systems even further.

Piper was silent as she thought through her options. She looked at Lilly, trying to mask the hope she felt in her heart. "Have you thought about adoption?"

Lilly scoffed. "Who wants the baby of a drug-abusing, ex-hooker with full blown AIDS?"

Piper again paused as she formulated her words. She looked down at Josh, smiled and whispered, "I do." Looking up at Lilly, she repeated herself. "Lilly, I want Josh. Please let me adopt him. I promise I'll bring him to see you as often as you want. You know Sam and I will take good care of him. He'll never want for anything."

Lilly was silent. Eventually she raised her eyes from her son Piper was holding. She reached for the swaddled infant and nodded her head. "Okay Piper. Okay."

* * *

**_Present Day, Key West_ **

Alex violently shook her head, not processing the words that Piper had said before she started her tale. Just seeing the image of Piper and another woman had completely taken her back. Piper's words had entirely gone unheard as doubt began to fill Alex's head. Growing infuriated at the situation, her thoughts rattled in her head.  _What am I doing here? If Piper has another woman and a child in her life, what am I?_

Suddenly feeling the need to be distant she shifted her body away from Piper, her gaze stuck on the picture as the thoughts ran through her mind. She needed answers. Becoming riled at the situation, she interrupted Piper. Oblivious to Piper's earlier sentence about the family – "No, they aren't here. They are there." Inhaling a sharp breath, her raised tone blocked out Piper's voice.

"I don't understand. If you two were  _so_  in love and had this so called perfect life together, why aren't you together now? Why am I sitting here listening to how you and your ex-wife has all this money and a kid and all? We have been fucking together for a fucking YEAR. Didn't it ever cross your mind to tell me about your FAMILY **?** "

Her excitement of seeing Piper had faded as she moved her body even further away. But Piper's hand grasped her own, breaking her from her movements. Alex's thought process slipped at the touch. Piper's actions were an attempt to try and console Alex. Although, for Alex, it was too much. Alex moved her hand from Piper's hold.

The silence between them was thick. Piper fixed her eyes on the distant ocean; her eyes filled with tears as she stumbled upon her words quietly, beginning her story again.

_Wanting Alex to listen and understand.  
_ _Needing support._

* * *

**_Flashback Five Years Ago, Virginia_ **

"Anyone home?" Piper tossed her keys on the hall table and flipped on the light. "Hello?" Only silenced answered her as she made her way to the kitchen. A note lay on the table.

_Piper,_

_Gone to grab a bite to eat. Wasn't sure what time you'd be home. We'll bring you a salad. Hope you had a great day. We love you._

_Sam and Josh_

She smiled at the scribbled semblance of a name beneath Sam's organized handwriting. Josh had been learning to write his name and insisted on putting his  _signature_  on all family correspondence. Piper paged Sam know she had made it home. She glanced at the clock. It was a quarter 'til nine. She had an unexpected long day at the center. The volunteer scheduled to work after her could not come in so Piper offered to stay an extra two hours.

Piper loved her time at the center. She had started volunteering time several years ago where, of course, she met Josh and his mother. Piper had been the proverbial housewife since he came into their home, but they felt he needed some interaction with other children in order to socialize properly. So Josh was enrolled in a part time day care center. Samantha would not hear of Piper getting a job. But after considerable pleading, Sam gave in to Piper returning to volunteering about fifteen to twenty hours a week at the AIDS center downtown.

When Piper called to let Samantha know she would be late, Sam offered to pick Josh up from day care. She had a rare chance to leave the office early and Josh would love the surprise.

* * *

Stepping out of the shower, she glanced at the clock. It was half an hour later, and Piper began to worry. It was unlike Sam to keep Joshua out this late, especially without calling to check in. Piper tucked the towel around herself and sat on the bed. There was no answer on the mobile phone so she paged Sam again.

_They should walk in any moment,_  Piper thought as she threw on a shirt and a pair of shorts. She was startled to hear the phone ring.  _That must be Sam. Maybe the restaurant was more crowded than usual._

"Hello, is this Piper Chapman?" The strange voice startled Piper.

"Yes." Piper answered the question cautiously.

"Ma'am, this is Terri Walters from Patient Relations at County General Hospital. I am afraid there has been an accident..."

Silence.

"Ms. Chapman, are you still there?"

"Yes, I'm here. Is Samantha okay, and Joshua?" Piper's stomach was turning flips. "Please tell me, are they alright? What happened?"

"Ms. Chapman, I am afraid I cannot release that information to you over the telephone. But we need you here as soon as possible. Is there a friend or relative you could call to bring you here?"

Her head was swimming as she struggled to comprehend the words that had just heard. While she was lightheaded and feeling faint, the urgency within Piper didn't hold her back. "No, please tell me. What happened?" When the relations officer refused, Piper was frantic. Almost at the point of hyperventilating, her voice hysterical as she responded, "I'm on my way."

"Ma'am wait. Calm down. We would prefer someone else bring you. There is no need to chance another accident."

"I can call a neighbor. I will be there as soon as possible. Thank you ma'am."

"Surely Ms. Chapman, just ask for me when you arrive. Terri Walters. Take care."

Piper's hands were shaking so hard she could barely redial the phone. "Hello, Teresa, I need your help..."

* * *

Piper and Teresa raced to the hospital. Upon arrival the emergency room clerk directed her to the Patient Relations office. "Ms. Walters, I am Piper Chapman. Where are Sam and Josh? What happened?"

"Ms. Chapman, have a seat. I am sorry. We found your name and number in Samantha's wallet. Are you her sister?"

Piper shook uncontrollably. "No, I am her wife. Joshua is our son. Please tell me, are they okay? May I see them?" Piper was oblivious to what she had just told the director.

The director looked shocked. She did not quite know how to take this information. She quickly reviewed her options as far as notification of next of kin was concerned. Piper snatched a folder from Teresa who was sitting by her side and shove it at the relations officer. "I hold power of attorneys on both Sam and Josh to make decisions where medical care is involved. Tell me about my  **fucking family.** "

Ms. Walters gulped and continued. "There was a drunken driver." She paused and placed her hand atop Piper's. "Dear, the accident was fatal for your friend. She made it to the emergency room, but the damage was too great. She passed away shortly after arrival. I'm sorry. She's gone."

Piper collapsed against Teresa. "No, oh my god, no. Not my Samantha. Please no. What about Joshua? Where is he? Is he okay? He must be terrified." Piper was hysterical as she got up and tried to leave the room. She could not hold back the tears any longer as they gushed from her eyes.

Ms. Walters put her hand on Piper's shoulder. "He is in surgery. He has massive internal injuries, but he is alive. We will just have to wait and see." Ms. Walters squeezed Piper's shoulder. Piper grabbed Ms. Walter's comforting hand. "I'm sorry dear. Is there someone you need to call? We do need a next of kin for Samantha."

"There is no direct next of kin. Just me. Her parents passed away many years ago. Samantha was raised by her aunt, and she is out of the country. There are no other relatives closer than second cousins. I'm as close as it gets. I know same sex partnerships are not recognized in this state, but we've been together eight years. I am the only one there is to make decisions, thus the legal paperwork. Sam is, was, an attorney." Piper was slowly trying to compose herself.

"Well Ms. Chapman, this is indeed an unusual situation. But we will work with you. I don't think the hospital would like to add upon your trauma. I will take care of the details. Let's go check on your son."

Ms. Walters was very sympathetic and extremely understanding about the situation between Piper and Samantha. That was comforting to Piper. She could only hope and pray that Joshua was going to be alright. No God could take her entire family in one fell swoop.

* * *

**_Present Day, Key West_ **

The story paused. A silence fell between them as Piper's eyes lowered to the floor, unable to look at Alex. A small part of her was hoping that Alex had understood needing comfort now at the current situation. But more importantly, she prayed that Alex was not angry. The gentle touch of a thumb across her cheek was an answer to her silent calls. Alex wiped away the silent tears, wrapping her arms around Piper as she pulled her into her body. As upset as Alex was as not having been told this story sooner, her love for Piper surpassed that. She held Piper closely, both of them enveloped in a silence.


	12. The Past Finally Becomes the Past

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "You can't stop the future  
> You can't rewind the past  
> The only way to learn the secret  
> ...is to press play."
> 
> ― Jay Asher, Thirteen Reasons Why

**_Present Day, Key West_ **

Alex and Piper remained sitting on the couch silently for a while. Then Piper took in a deep breath and pushed away from Alex. She needed the separation to finish this portion of the story. Her face was emotionless, a blank canvas as she began to talk again.

* * *

**_Flashback Five Years Ago, Virginia hospital_ **

Joshua had just come out of surgery. The doctor spoke to Piper. "I'm afraid the news isn't good. Your son has experienced a great deal of trauma and is presently remains in a coma. We like to think of a coma as the body's way of coping with such injuries. While he is young, I don't want to give you any false hopes. Only time can give us an indication of his improvement. He is in recovery right now so you should be able to go in and see him soon. Do you have any questions for me?"

Piper had no questions for the doctor.  _What do you ask someone who just told you there was little chance of your little boy living? What do you say?_

Soon, the nurses allowed Piper into recovery to see her boy. Tubes and wires were protruding out and sticking into her little boy. His eyes were already sunken deep into his darkened sockets. Joshua looked so tiny and fragile. Piper was almost afraid to make contact with him in fear of causing more damage. But she reached out to Joshua and touched the one bit of skin she could find not covered with gauze or medical equipment, his left hand.

"Oh baby, I love you. Can you hear me? You are going to be okay." Grasping his hand firmly, she bowed her face to his, whispering softly. "I need you to be okay. Josh, I need you to come back to me. I love you so much." She tried to be as cheerful as possible. The nurses told her that sometimes coma patients could hear and sense things around them. She could not let him know how upset she was.

"I love you Josh. I'll be right here." She patted his chubby little hand. He seemed so small, dwarfed by the tubes and wires wrapped around him. He was so tiny and defenseless.

Tears streamed down Piper's face as she left the ward to make phone calls and arrangements for Samantha.

* * *

Samantha had not wanted to be buried, nor had she wanted a large service. Piper was careful to honor her wishes as best she could. There were so many decisions to make, and Piper would not accept help from any of their friends. She insisted that the planning kept her busy and her mind occupied so that she did not have to contemplate the hardest decision that still was yet ahead of her.

After a few days, the doctors had told her that Joshua was not improving. In fact, his condition was declining. It was highly unlikely that he would ever come out of his coma. Although there was still slight traces of random brain activity, the ventilator was the only things keeping his blood oxygenated thus his precious heart beating. They had recommended not prolonging the inevitable.

After the doctors talked to Piper and ensured that she completely understood Josh's situation, they left the room. Soon, a new nurse came in with Ms. Walters, the woman who had notified her of the accident. "Ms. Chapman? I am so sorry for your loss." The nurse took a seat next to Piper. "I know this is a difficult time for you. However I need to talk to you about some things, and unfortunately there is never a good time to discuss these details. Your son is in a special situation in that, …, well we'd like for you to consider donating Joshua's organs. This is never an easy decision, but I'd like to provide you with some literature which discusses brain death as well as the vast impact of juvenile organ donation."

Piper looked at her blankly. It was all too much for her as there was only so much she could handle, and she was already near her breaking point. Piper's voice was flat as she answered. "The services for my wife are this afternoon. Can I at least put her to rest before deciding about my son?"

* * *

The memorial service was quite larger than Piper had expected. Despite the news of Samantha and Piper's relationship, Samantha's law firm had been surprisingly supportive. All of the partners were there as well as numerous associates, secretaries, and other co-workers. The service was quite tasteful. Several friends had requested to speak as well as the head partner of her law firm. Samantha would have been proud.

Their friends had really come through for Piper. She had not had to be alone since the phone call from the hospital that dreaded night. Although Piper knew she needed to be alone to deal with her grief, she could not yet bear to be by herself. The simple physical presence of other people was comforting.

Unfortunately, Piper needed solitude to make her decisions about Joshua. Her friends refused to leave her by herself. But after the memorial service, they limited themselves to downstairs. Piper was left alone upstairs in the house she had shared with Samantha and Joshua. The tears Piper could not find at the memorial flowed freely as she sat on the floor of Joshua's room. She clutched his favorite bear as she rocked back and forth.

"Oh Lord, why take both of them? You can't leave me all alone. You can't do this." Piper was wailing at the top of her lungs as she lay down on the rug and wept. Tears for Samantha, tears for Joshua, tears for herself, tears for the memories they shared, and tears for the memories they would never share.

"Sam, why'd you leave me to decide this all alone? Help me Sam. I have to decide about our little boy." Piper spoke as if Samantha was in the room with her. "The doctors say our precious Joshua will not ever wake up. There is only one decision, I suppose. Sam, I love you. I have to send our little boy to you babe. Take care of him. Tell him I love him Sam. I'm sorry. I love you, too, my sweet dear."

Piper selected a picture off of Joshua's nightstand. It was the three of them together in the park. Joshua loved the park. She looked around the room, wiping the tears from her eyes. She tucked the picture beneath her arm and slowly made her way down the stairs to her waiting friends.

"It's time now," she told them. "I never got the chance to say goodbye to Sam. Now I have to go say goodbye to Josh."

* * *

The ward seemed so quiet. The heart monitor beeped in cadence with the swish of the machine pushing air into her little boy's lungs. Piper laid the picture on Joshua's tummy and placed his hands on top of it. She brushed his hair to one side and bent down to kiss his forehead.

"I love you," she whispered into his ear. "You had better take good care of Mom for me, my little man. Give her hugs and kisses from me when you see her. Goodbye my sweet boy."

Piper straightened up, turned, and quickly left the room, stopping only to sign the clipboard the procurement nurse held. She could not bear to stay in the room to witness the results of her actions. She knew he would now be whisked away to an operating room by the organ procurement teams, but she felt if she watched this – her mind might think he was coming back. But he wasn't coming back. And now she was completely alone. Her wife's body was stored in a metal urn and she had she had just signed the death warrant for their little boy. She was indeed all alone.

* * *

**_Present Day, Key West_ **

Tears swelled in Alex's eyes as she again wrapped her arms around Piper.

Piper spoke again, this time to Alex rather than to the wall or the floor. "I spent a lot of time feeling guilty. And there were a lot of 'what ifs.' What if I had not insisted on volunteering at the center. What if I had not worked late that night? Would they still be with me today? What if I had not shut off Joshua's life support? Would he have waken up? I had a lot of guilt – I still do."

"I could not bear to return to our family home, so I rented an apartment in a town nearby. The house was left virtually untouched as was this vacation home. I could not handle the trauma of being surrounded by the things that reminded me of them. It took me a long time to deal with things – years." Piper turned so she could see Alex's face.

"That is where the restaurant came in. I had healed all I could alone.  _The Place_  proved to me I could make it without Samantha. And you, my dear, proved that I could love someone again. Thanksgiving with the staff dredged up a lot of emotion yet it showed me how much I truly do have to be thankful for in my life." Piper leaned over to rest her head on Alex's shoulder.

"Now it is time to close the past chapters in my life and truly move on. I have to deal with a few personal details and the properties. That is about the last step to closure." Piper stretched forward and kissed Alex's teary cheek.

"I love you Piper. I thought I had lost you."

"No Alex, you aren't going to lose me. Not if you choose to forgive me. I love you. I know what I've done could have probably have been handled better. I just couldn't tell you all of this until I was sure I could. It took me clearing out the physical space in order to fully open up the emotional space. I'm so, so, so sorry for worrying you. I know I have to start over in the trust department with you, but I'm willing to do that if you will let me."

The two women flipped though the yellowed, fading picture album as Piper filled Alex in on her past life. The scrapbook was filled mostly with the run of the mill family photographs. Alex sat there, numb, in shock. Before Piper had never shared any of her past with Alex. Alex had just assumed that Piper would tell her when she was ready. What she had not expected as such an outpouring of emotion and feelings Piper expressed as she told Alex of her horror. She was overwhelmed at the revelations. Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine the things Piper had left in her past. Piper was indeed a brave and stoic woman. Strangely Alex did not feel threatened or angry at any of this, simply stunned.

Piper shut the photo album. "Well there you have it Alex." She leaned over and kissed Alex. "I know it's a lot to expect you to handle. I have spent the past five years trying to process it myself. I feel responsible for their deaths even though everyone says I'm not."

Alex put her arms around Piper. "You're  _not_  responsible Piper. It was an accident; plain and simple."

"Thanks. I needed to hear that from someone not involved."

"Not involved? What in the hell do you mean  **'** ** _not involved_** **'**?" Alex's temper flared as she leapt to her feet, bumping the album in Piper's lap sideways. "If I'm not involved, the what in the hell have  ** _we_**  been doing the past year? You've kept your complicated past from me for  ** _a year_** **.**  You've lived a  ** _LIE_** **.** " Alex could feel the tears well up in her eyes as her face flushed deep red.

"Alex, that's not what I meant. Wait..." Piper placed the photo album on the table and stood as she grasped Alex's arm to pull her back down beside her.

Alex whipped her arm out of Piper's grasp. "Why have you kept this from me?" This new rage seemed to come from nowhere. Maybe it came from the built up tensions of not knowing where Piper had gone. Maybe it came from the story she had just been told. "I have a right to know you, to know YOU, your life. Why Piper? Why?"

Alex knew she was being irrational, but she was filled with so much pain and torment. The past two weeks had been hell, not knowing where Piper was or why she had left. "If I had known all of this, I wouldn't have been so damned worried the past fourteen days. You nearly destroyed my life. I felt that you snatched everything I had away from me!"

Piper was stricken. She had never seen Alex so upset or so angry. "I don't know what to say. It's been hard on me, too, you know. I've held this inside for so long because I was afraid. After Sam and Josh died I didn't think I would ever love again or even if I could. Then there you were, the perfect woman, bringing out all these feelings and emotions I had not felt in years. I tried to tell you; I tried so hard. You don't know how many times I tried. But I was afraid Alex. I mean my family was dead. DEAD!"

"You could have had faith in me Piper. You did not kill anybody."

" **Faith?** " It was now Piper who was yelling. "I could have had faith? Oh no Alex. I killed my family. If I'd been home like I was supposed to, Sam would not have picked up Josh nor taken him to eat. They would not have been out on that road that day. None of this would have ever happened." Piper turned, bore her eyes into Alex's, and lowered her voice.

"But no, I had to work late. Then I lost my wife, and my little boy was lying in a hospital bed; hoses and wires stuck in all parts of his little body. Machines surrounded him, pushing air into his tiny, battered body. I did not have faith for my Joshua. I killed him once when I came home late. And I killed him again when I signed the order to cut off his life support and have doctors cut into his still warm body. **DON'T TELL ME I COULD HAVE HAD FAITH IN YOU. I DIDN'T EVEN HAVE FAITH FOR MY OWN SON.** "

Piper dropped her voice to a whisper. "How could I have had faith for you?" Piper's body shook as she sobbed. "If I had been there as I was supposed to be, none of this would have happened." Piper stumbled out of the room and down the stairs. Alex heard the door slam shut as Piper ran outside.

Alex sat back down on the couch.  _My god. I had no idea. Piper was holding all of this in for so long, coping all by herself._  Alex's thoughts were spinning. She had determined Piper had very little past as her communications were thin save a few letters from acquaintances scattered here and there and a few cards at Christmas time. Guilt suddenly overwhelmed Alex.  _I was so selfish for being angry._

* * *

Alex could not stand it any longer and took off in search of Piper. She found Piper sitting out behind the house. The yard backed up to the water. There was a private boathouse and a dock. Piper was sitting, knees drawn up, her arms wrapped tightly around them.

Alex placed her hands on Piper's shoulders and squeezed. Slowly she ran her fingers down Piper's arms then wrapped her own arms snugly about Piper. She nestled her head on Piper's shoulder, burying her face in Piper's hair. Piper's familiar smell filled Alex's nostrils as she breathed deeply. Oh how she had missed that smell.

"If none of that had ever happened, we would have never met." Alex kissed Piper's neck. "I'm so incredibly sorry for your tragedy, but I cannot imagine my life without you."

Piper uncrossed her arms and moved her hands up to squeeze Alex's arms. "Alex, I do love you. I cannot tell you how remorseful I am for all of this. I know you had to have been dreadfully worried. But don't you see now? All I can do is to ask for understanding and compassion and hope that someday you can forgive me."

"I've already forgiven you. I love you Piper. There's nothing in your life that could ever run me off. Not in a million years." Alex released her hold around Piper and turned her around. She placed her hands on Piper's face. "Just promise me you'll never leave like that again."

"I promise." Piper flung her arms around Alex. "I do love you. Never doubt that."

The two women sat in silence, watching the boats maneuver in the distance. The wind swept the salty mist across the water, mixing with the drying the tears on their faces.

Alex wiped the remaining moisture from Piper's face and pulled her face over to kiss her. "Why did you take so long to tell me this Pipes? I love you. I thought we had built our relationship on mutual admiration, respect, and trust." Alex was fighting a battle between her lingering anger and her love.

Piper took a deep breath in, letting it out slowly. "I'm not exactly sure Alex. I have thought about nothing other than that the last two weeks. I've carried around a lot of guilt, a type of survivor's guilt my therapist used to tell me. I thought I had forgiven myself, but apparently I still have some work to do on that." Piper paused and allowed comfortable silence to settle between them before continuing.

"I was so broken Al, my psyche – my life was shattered. It took me a while to pull myself out of the depths of despair and to move forward. When you came into my life as the perfect manager, you helped that particular dream come true for me. Then when you continued on to be my perfect lover, I realized that I can love again, something never I thought possible. And I do love you Alex Vause. I do."

"Then why this Piper? Why now? I don't understand the fucking timing. You hurt me Piper, deeply."

"As soon as you moved in a few weeks ago, an epiphany struck. I did have a past, and I hadn't dealt with it completely. Yes, I loved you. But I have property to settle, belongings to sort and all of this other baggage that has just sat for the last six years of my life. I'm a fool for not telling you earlier, Alex, and for disappearing like I did. I just had to settle this business and get back to you. I'm sorry Alex. I'm truly sorry."

Alex sighed, still frustrated but wanting to relent to Piper's apology. She comprehended the explanation but wasn't sure if it justified her personal pain.

"I never imagined I would love you so incredibly much Al. I understand that it is going to take a while for me to mend the rift I have caused between us. All I can hope is that you give me the chance."

Alex locked eyes with a hopeful Piper, her heart softening.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am an extremely strong advocate for organ donation. I wanted a stronger presence for that in this chapter with Josh, I just couldn't make it fit. However comes back, albeit briefly, later in the story. If you decide to donate your organs, please make your wishes known to your family to donate your organs once you pass from this world. At least in the US, just a notation on your driver's license is not enough. You can positively affect the lives of countless people. Let there be something gained from tragedy.


	13. Nicky Shenanigans

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to thank the person who honked their horn at me while waiting for my parking spot... for inspiring me to write my memoirs in the Walmart parking lot.  
> ~unknown

**_Present day Donovan_ **

Nicky noticed the woman's penetrating stare from across the bar. The woman had been at the bar a few times now. Each time, she did the same thing - sit at the bar for a few hours, have a few drinks, then leave. Nicky had caught a few glimpses from her before, but tonight she was particularly bold. Her head turned at Nicky's every move.

Nicky took a seat at the corner of the bar adjacent to the woman. She motioned the bartender over and asked the woman's name. _Lorna_. Nicky repeated the name over and over in her mind. Slowly, she was building up the courage to ask her to dance. The rhythm of the music matched her pulse as she imagined holding Lorna next to her.

Lorna had hazel eyes with hair to match. Her vintage curly coif outlined her smoky eye shadow and bright red lipstick. "May I have this dance?" Nicky extended her hand as Lorna looked up, her hazel eyes smiling as much as her mouth.

Lorna accepted Nicky's hand and they ventured out onto the dance floor. The fuzzy headed woman wrapped her right arm around Lorna's waist, pulling her closer. As they danced, their bodies moved together as if they had known each other for a long time. The pair were about the same height, and when Lorna turned her face, Nicky could feel the warm, moist breath on her neck. With goose bumps rising on her skin, Nicky squeezed Lorna's hand and moved the other gently up and down her back.

Lorna moved closer, teasing the other woman with her breath and light touches of her lips. Nicky bent her head, placing her cheek against Lorna's. Placing light kisses on her cheek, Nicky moved closer to Lorna's mouth. When she got to the corner of Lorna's mouth, Nicky pulled back to look into her eyes.

Lorna's eyes had shifted, become closer to green than brown, and were grinning at her. Lorna ran her tongue across her own lips, playfully teasing yet inviting the woman to make the challenge. They moved towards one another, their lips met lightly at first. Pressing a bit harder, their lips parted as they began to explore each other's mouths with their tongues.

Nicky was overwhelmed, losing herself in Lorna's taste and enjoying feel of the beautiful body that was pressed so tightly against hers. She wanted to explore that body with her hands, with her lips, and with her tongue.

Nicky began to move her hands...

"Nicky! ... Nicky! Hey girlfriend. That must have been a helluva daydream." The bartender had her hands placed on the bar - arms spread - in front of Nicky. "Do you want another beer?"

Nicky smiled and shook her head. She lifted her eyes across the bar to Lorna who was sitting with her back to Nicky's side of the bar this time. About that time, Lorna slowly spun her stool around and faced Nicky once more. The other woman's boldness shocked Nicky. That, along with the daydream, had thrown the wild woman totally off balance. Nicky was normally the ultimate womanizer. There wasn't a weekend that she was not at the bar - with bells on. She loved to dance, and her dancing was how she flirted. It was the most comfortable way for her to meet people.

Nicky was never still, always moving around, talking to everyone. And it seemed as though she knew everyone as well. When she would see a woman that caught her fancy, Nicky would watch the woman as she danced. If she were able to catch the woman's eye during that song, she'd start her routine. Nicky would exit the dance floor on the opposite side of the bar and saunter around to where the woman was, her eyes never leaving her target. She'd ask the woman to dance and sweep her off of her feet.

There was never a shortage of women for Nicky to meet. Her problem came in keeping them. She could never really open up; the thought of a serious relationship scared her. She treated her girlfriends wonderfully but always kept them at arm's length. In a way, she justified this her behavior by saying that she did not want to lose her freedom. Celeste called her an eternal bachelor. But Nicky was happy that way, and that's all that mattered to her.

This Lorna was intriguing though. She had taken Nicky's game and turned it around. It was now Nicky who was being watched, her every moved mapped with this woman's eyes. Nicky wanted to talk to her, to ask her to dance, but it was almost as if she had lost her nerve. Oh, she could think about the things she wanted but to actually do them was another matter. The situation was getting almost too difficult for her to handle.

She shook her head as if to erase the images of Lorna's lips and body that had so taken over her mind.  _Oh to hell with it_ , she thought.  _The woman isn't going to bite me. I am just going to go over and talk to her._  She took a deep breath and headed around the bar.

"Hey." Nicky's voice was weak as were her knees. "Do you mind if I join you?"

"No, not at all," Lorna replied and pulled a barstool over to Nicky's feet. "What are you drinking?"

"Dos Equis," replied Nicky.

Lorna purchased a beer for Nicky and another drink for herself.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. I'm Lorna." Lorna extended her hand towards Nicky.

"I know." Nicky grasped the outstretched hand. She was astonished by the softness of her skin. "I'm Nicky."

"I know." Lorna chuckled at the shocked look on Nicky's face. "Don't worry. I've been into the café where you work. That's how I know your name."

"I'm ashamed to admit I don't remember seeing you. But I do recognize you from the past few weeks here. I suppose I am honored that such a beautiful woman such as yourself would recognize me." Nicky was desperately trying to turn on her charm but felt as though she was failing.

Lorna smiled. "I've been wanting to talk to you. I figured if I watched you long enough, curiosity would take over and you'd come formally introduce yourself." Her smile had turned to an impish grin as her sweet voice rang in Nicky's ears.

Nicky felt the redness rise from her neck onto her face. This woman really had her going; finally, somebody had Nicky speechless.

"I like the cafe. Quite a staff they've got."

"We try." Nicky grinned. She continued to make small talk with Lorna, slowly regaining her usual confidence. They each bought a few rounds of drinks and seemed to be hitting it off pretty well.

After a while, Nicky leaned back on her bar stool. "Geez, this is so strange for me."

"What's that?"

"Just sitting here talking. I'm usually out and about."

"The regular social butterfly?"

"Something like that, I guess. My body is in shock."

"Is that bad?" Lorna winked and leaned towards Nicky. Nicky could feel Lorna's breath on her lips.

"No, not at all," Nicky whispered as she leaned forward, slightly closing the gap. Images from her earlier daydream came rushing back to her mind.

"Good, let's dance." Lorna leapt from the barstool and grabbed Nicky's hand. As she pulled a stunned Nicky off her own stool, she threw back her head and laughed.

Being caught off guard, Nicky stumbled. She quickly regained her footing and laughed herself. "What a tease!"

"Who me? Never."

Nicky pulled Lorna into her as they stepped onto the dance floor. The DJ was at the beginning of a fast series. "Are you sure you can keep up?"

"Oh but yes."

With each passing song, Nicky became more and more confident. As the chords of one song faded into the next, she'd look questioningly at Lorna. Each time Lorna answered the question with a nod and a smile.

By the time the DJ broke for a slower song, Nicky was dripping with sweat. She pulled Lorna as if to step off the floor. Lorna's arm tightened around Nicky's waist. "Wait, one more. You need to cool down." Despite the sweat from both women's bodies, Lorna drew herself closer to Nicky, her face resting against Nicky's neck.

The two women glided about the floor, each lost in the fluid motions of the other. By song's end, Nicky's breathing had slowed and the sweat did not seem quite so sticky. The pair returned to their seats and finished their drinks.

* * *

The bartender called for last call. Lorna chuckled as a shocked look came over Nicky's face. "What's wrong Nicky?"

Nicky looked down, blushing. "Nothing really, I suppose. I, umm, it's just that..."

"Come on, you can say it..."

"Well I just did not think it was so late. The last call caught me off guard."

Lorna knew that Nicky was flustered. She had been to the bar a few times and watched Nicky flirt. It definitely was not Nicky's style to talk and dance with only one woman during the course of the evening. But it was Lorna's style - to come in and take a woman by surprise. Nicky would never know what hit her. She leaned over to Nicky. "Does the old adage apply here: time flies...?"

Nicky smiled. "I suppose so. You have been wonderful company. Would you care to continue our conversation over some coffee? There is a shop around the corner."

Lorna thought for a while.  _Naw_ , she thought _, I can't make it too easy on her. Let's keep her going for a while_. "I would love to talk some more."

Nicky slid off the barstool, offering her hand to Lorna.

"But I can't tonight. I need to get home."

The look on Nicky's face was priceless. Nicky quickly recovered from the rejection and replied, "Is it me or your woman at home?"

Lorna chuckled. "No woman at home or anywhere else. I just need to get home. My dogs will punish me enough as it is. They hate for me to stay out late."

"Oh, I am in competition with your dogs?" The sparkle returned to Nicky's eyes.

"No, not in direct competition with them, but I do need to get home."

"I suppose I can let you go this time, but next time I am going to kidnap you."

"Does that mean there will be a next time?" Lorna loved being coy.

"If that's okay with you, I would love for there to be a next time. Let me get your phone number." Nicky reached into her pocket for her cell, handing it to Lorna for her to enter her number. Lorna pushed it away. "That's okay. I know where to find you." With this, Lorna leaned over and kissed Nicky softly on the cheek. "Be looking for me. I'll be watching you." Lorna cocked her head and lightly kissed Nicky again, this time closer to her ear.

And as quick as she had floored Nicky, Lorna was out the door and gone. Nicky sat at the bar, stunned. She shook her head as if to clear a dream, but this had been no dream. She looked at the empty margarita glass then drained the last of her beer. Without saying a word to anyone, Nicky quietly slipped out the door to the bar.

* * *

Lorna laughed out loud as she drove home. This was going to be fun. Actually, she liked Nicky even more than she thought she would. Lorna had not thought that Nicky would spend the entire night talking and dancing with one woman. Overall the night at the bar had been much better than Lorna had thought.  _This has distinct possibilities._

Lorna pulled into the driveway of the house she had rented. Her dogs greeted her at the door with flurries of barks and licks. She pulled out her phone to see she had two missed calls and a voice mail. After making her way past the animals clamoring over her feet, she settled at the table and played the message.

"You are so mean." One woman was laughing so hard, the words were barely understandable. Another woman was giggling in the background. "When I said you had to tease her, I had no idea you had it in you. I have got to hand it to you. You definitely have her going. Call me when you get home. If you get home. Bye."

Lorna could not stop grinning herself.  _Crazy women_ , she thought as she dialed a number.

"Hello?"

"Celeste, this is Lorna. Put your bloodsucking roommate on the phone."

"Hey girlfriend, looks like you had an interesting evening. Boo is dying to talk to you. Hang on."

The phone bounced on the floor as Celeste dropped the receiver and yelled for Boo. "You know who is on the phone. It's time to get the details on the mystery date."

"Hey, how's my favorite cousin? I watched you tonight. You really know how to work the women. I believe you may qualify to beat Nicky out of the master flirter title. I want all of the details."

Lorna gave them a brief overview of the evening's events. "She was quite a gentleman, if you'll pardon the phrase."

"I told you that you'd like her. You should have let me set you two up. Nicky needs a good, stable woman in her life."

"Yeah, well, this is more fun, don't you think?" Lorna chuckled.

"Of course," replied Boo. "You'll really throw her for a loop, playing all her games back on her."

"I'm not a player Boo. I plan on getting a little more out of this than a few rolls in the hay."

"Like I said, you're just what she needs."

"And this woman needs some sleep. So I'm going to let you go. Hey! Does Nicky work tomorrow?"

Boo questioned Celeste and answered Lorna. "She's not waiting tables, but she's supposed to come work on party plans around mid-afternoon."

"Okay. You might just see me there."

* * *

**_Post bar_**

Nicky parked in the complex but did not get out of her truck. She was still slightly numb about the evening's events. Rather than go up to her apartment, she backed out of the parking lot and headed to the lake.

Nicky pulled down the dirt road and parked next to the darkened cabin. She knew where Kristie and Toni hid the extra key to their lake house but decided not to go in. Standing beside her truck, she undid her shirt, untucked it out of her pants, and pulled it off. She tossed the still damp shirt in the truck and reached behind the seat and found an old T-shirt. Slipping the shirt over her head, she glanced across the lake.

The night was nice. The sky was cloud free and the stars were bright and crystal clear. The only sounds were the crickets and frogs and the water lightly lapping against the shore. Nicky walked along the water's edge, enjoying the quiet sounds of nature. The evening with Lorna had really thrown her for a loop. She had been taken by surprise, but it had been a nice surprise. A nice one indeed.

There was a group of rocks protruding out into the waters a few hundred yards down from the cabin. When Nicky reached these, she pulled off her boots and socks, rolled up her pants, and picked her way out to the furthest rock.

The slight breeze blowing across the lake brought in a fresh, clean smell. Nicky leaned back on her hands and closed her eyes. She had a perfect image of Lorna burned into her mind. She could almost feel Lorna's head resting against her shoulder, her own fingers sifting through the dark curled hair. The thoughts alone were mesmerizing.

Nicky sat on the rocks, lost in her thoughts for quite some time. Eventually, the skies began to lighten and the sun started to peek over the horizon. Nicky made her way back to her truck and drove home. There, she exhaustedly fell onto her bed and slept.

* * *

Nicky got to work Sunday afternoon. The instant she walked in the door, she could feel everyone staring at her. Maybe she was just imagining things, but it wasn't often that she felt so paranoid.

Celeste greeted her midway through the restaurant, a broad grin spread across her face. "Hey Romeo - how's everything with you?"

"Just peachy. And you?"

"Same. Missed you at the bar last night. Were you deathly ill or did some fine woman come sweep you off your feet and keep you all for herself, secluded in some tropical paradise?"

Nicky face was crimson. "I was at the bar last night and you know it."

"Ah yes, I do remember a woman bearing slight resemblance to Nicky Nichols, womanizer extraordinaire, but it could not have been the real Nicky for Nicky likes to party and to socialize. This other woman was a bum and just sat at the bar all evening engrossed in seemingly intelligent conversation with an oh-so-fine woman. No this could not be our Nicky, to limit herself to just one unknown an evening."

Nicky playfully punched Celeste in the arm. "I danced." Nicky was in full-on pout mode. "I didn't dance much, but I danced. Quit making fun of me."

"Well normally you come to work on Sundays late, looking pretty haggard. Then a few hours later, some young tomboy thing or fembot chick comes and drinks coffee at one of your table for the rest of the day. So what time is this one coming in?"

"This one has a name. Lorna. And I doubt she'll be coming in. And she's not some young tomboy or a fembot."

"Oh no, you chose an actual woman this time. Did you break her heart already?"

"No I did not break her heart. I didn't even kiss her. Why are you ragging on me so hard today Celeste? Is it a sin to give my attention to one woman?"

"A sin? No. Out of character? Yes."

Nicky rolled her eyes and walked to the back of the restaurant. "I am going to work on the plans for the Christmas party."

"If your girlfriend comes in, I'll be sure to come get you." Celeste loved the rare chance she got to tease Nicky.

"First, she's not my girlfriend. Second, she's not coming by. Third, get off my case."

"Whatever. Have fun planning. Don't daydream too much."

Nicky shook her head and went into the office.

Celeste glanced to the kitchen where Boo had been watching the entire conversation. Celeste flashed Boo an okay sign as Boo could barely contain her laughter. Nicky was going to kill  _both_  of them when this was over.


	14. Reconciled

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "A little bit of affection goes a long way toward reconciling one with the world."  
> ― Marty Rubin

**_Key West_ **

"So tell me about this house and this car." Alex was laughing as she caught her flying strands of hair and tucked them back under the cap she had commandeered from Piper's bedroom. "This is too cool. I have always wanted a car like this, but only in my dreams."

"Dreams – oh no, let's not get started on those again. Hang on." Piper floored the gas pedal as they headed over a bridge. "Not only is it fully restored on the outside, the engine is perfect as well."

"Awesome!" Alex's laughter was swept away by the rushing air flowing over the bridge.

"Well Samantha came from a long line of money. Her parents died when she was in high school. She didn't really have much of a family to speak of. An aunt took her in so the state wouldn't take over. Sam received a healthy inheritance. After high school, there was college. She had her mind set on law school. Graduated in the top ten and took a job at a law firm in Washington, DC, corporate law. We lived in Virginia and she kept an apartment in DC. The house here was her parent's vacation house, thus hers."

"After she died, it all came to me – her family's money, her life insurance, Joshua's life insurance, the policy through the firm, the properties – I was the sole benefactor of everything. Her law firm denied me her pension benefits, but I certainly did not fight it. I mean they were gracious to say the least. I think I shocked the hell out of them by not suing. Hell, I didn't need her pension. Besides, Sam would not have wanted to disgrace the firm. They were good to her."

"I signed the firm's insurance policy over to a non-profit scholarship organization for women. I figured some other women should benefit from the tragedy. As for the rest of the money from her, well, it's invested. It's just sitting there, making money that I've never touched."

"I could not bear to use any of her money for the longest time. I somehow thought that in doing this, I would not validate her death. I lived off the savings we had built up together. That lasted about a year. Then I began planning the restaurant. For that, I only used money from Joshua's insurance which is what financed  _The Place_."

"It's been five years now. After yours and my anniversary, I decided I had to settle things once and for all. I needed the closure. After I left Donovan, I spent a week and a half in Virginia. I boxed up a few things to be shipped here. The rest – clothes, furniture, dishes, etc., I donated to a women's shelter. They came and hauled it off quite graciously. The house is on the market. The agent was hopeful that it would sell fast. But it doesn't matter if it doesn't."

"With Virginia taken care of, a huge weight had been lifted from my shoulders. That's when I headed here and sent you the ticket. I was finally ready to face you."

Piper had talked non-stop through the drive and through dinner. It seemed cathartic for her to finally be able to tell Alex her entire story. Alex was satisfied to simply listen.

"I'm really sorry for leaving like I did Alex. I know that was not fair to you. I will make it up to you. I promise."

"It's okay Piper. Well I'm not saying it's okay right now, but it will be okay. I think I can cope with it now that I know why a little more about why. Not knowing why you had left had been the most difficult thing to deal with. But it's in the past and there it's going to stay. As long as you love me and promise to never do it again."

Piper crossed her heart with her finger. "Promise."

"So are you selling this house, too?"

"Well that is a decision that I would like for you to be a part of. It's an excellent property True, it held a lot of memories, but I have dealt with those."

"I think you should keep the house. What an escape from the frigid Donovan winters." Alex grinned as Piper's eyes lit up.

"Oh Alex I was hoping you'd say that. I love coming here – you are going to love this island."

A gleam sparkled in Alex's eyes as she asked the next question. "And the car?"

A Cheshire cat grin spread across Piper's face. "I was thinking a  _For Sale_  sign might look nice on it." Piper burst into a fit of laughter as Alex's face fell. "Seriously Alex? Come on, you know me better than that. But what do you think? Does Blue deserve to go home with us and face the cold Donovan winters? Or should she stay here to be enjoyed on bright, sunshine filled days on vacations?"

"Oooh that's a hard decision. What do you want Piper? She's your car."

Piper pulled out a legal sized envelope from her pocket and extracted some papers to hand to Alex. "Actually Alex, she's  _your_ car. I transferred the title to your name yesterday."

Alex seized Piper and happily swung her around. Breathing heavily as she set Piper down, Alex pressed her lips against Piper's. "Let's leave her here. She deserves to be a warm weather car. Plus I now have an excuse to visit her often. Thank you Piper!"

"So, how are you feeling Al?" Piper gently caressed Alex's hand with her fingertips. "I have a lot of making up to do." She grinned at her girlfriend. "I know you must be exhausted."

Alex grasped Piper's hand. "I'm fine Piper. I'm so happy to be with you again. I feel I could stay up for days."

Piper's broad grin spread from ear to ear. "Great! I have some things to show you. I've been so excited waiting for you to get here." She pulled into the driveway and followed the gravel road down to the waterfront. As she killed the engine, she leapt from the car and raced around to Alex's side. "Madam," she graciously said as she opened the door. She bowed and made a grand sweeping flourish, motioning Alex out of the car.

Alex tossed her head back as she laughed. Piper definitely was hamming it up.

* * *

The two women walked hand in hand to the dock, kicked off their shoes, and continued out on to the dock. Like two little girls, barefoot, on the wood, just as comfortable as could be. Alex stepped behind Piper, sliding one arm around her waist, throwing the other over her shoulder. She snuggled right into the curves of Piper's body, moving with her as they made their way to the end of the dock.

Alex breathed deeply, savoring the cool, crisp salty air. "This is so nice. The smell is amazing."

"Tell me." Piper's simple words brought warmth to Alex's chest as the familiar describing game began again.

Alex closed her eyes and contemplated. "Slightly brine, but not in an offensive way. Brisk." Alex licked her lips slightly. "Definitely salty. Tastes like the sweat of hours of sex." Alex tightened her arms around Piper's body. "It really is beautiful." Slowly Alex released her hold on Piper, pulling her hand across Piper's breasts and trailing her fingers across her shoulders and down her back.

Moving away from Alex, Piper went over to a large, wooden chest, pulled out a wool blanket, and spread it across the edge of the dock. Piper took a seat and positioned her back against the pylon, motioning Alex to come sit down beside her.

Nothing could be heard by the waves lapping against the wood and the occasional squawks from the seagulls as they battled over bits of fish. The couple relaxed as the sun faded into the most beautiful array of colors - splashing the horizon with red and orange hues. They sat, simply enjoying each other's presence.

Still silent, Piper pushed Alex forward and got to her feet. She extended her hand to help Alex to her feet.

"But the sunset is so pretty. Do we have to go now?"

Piper placed her finger on Alex's lips, silencing her. "Trust me."

Alex got up, wrapped the blanket around her shoulders, and followed Piper back down the dock. They crossed a short grassy patch of lawn to what looked like a large storage shed or boathouse. There was a row of windows around the top of the building.

Piper unlocked the door and pushed it open. She pulled Alex inside and shut the door. It was pitch black and there was a low, gurgling noise.

"Hmm, this could be nice." Alex ran her hand from Piper's back to her stomach and reached downwards, teasingly, caressing Piper's inner thighs with both hands.

Piper flipped a switch and a circular pattern of lights illuminated beneath the water of a bubbling spa. The large glass doors facing the harbor could be seen now in the pale light. The rising steam from the hot tub was gathering on the glass. Piper hit another switch and the door slowly began to rise, opening the building out to the harbor. "The view is slightly more enjoyable from in here."

"I'll bet. But who will be looking at the sunset?"

"Why Alex, it is a beautiful sight. You don't want to miss the grand finale, do you?" Piper teased.

"Oh but I think I do. I can certainly make your evening much more enjoyable than any sunset ever could."

"Is that a threat or a promise?" Piper laughed.

"Take it how you want it." Alex slid her hands back up and unbuttoned Piper's shorts, letting them fall to the ground. Running her hands up Piper's stomach, she lifted Piper's shirt and pulled it over her head, turning Piper around to face her.

"Aren't I the one who is supposed to be making up to you?" Piper's voice barely rose above a whisper as she attempted to unbutton Alex's shorts.

Alex pulled Piper's hands from her shorts and placed them around her back. "Tonight is mine to do with as I please. This is how you are going to make it up to me." Alex ran her lips slowly over Piper's bare shoulders and down to her breasts. "I've missed you."

Chill bumps instantly appeared on Piper's arms as her body involuntarily shuddered. A slight moan escaped from her lips. "Let's go insi..."

Again Alex silenced Piper with a simple touch to her lips. "Shhh." She turned Piper around and gently prodded her towards the steaming hot tub. Piper turned to walk backwards so that she could watch Alex. Alex's emerald eyes were sparkling and full of mischief.

Alex removed all of Piper's clothing. Alex motioned Piper into the swirling water and began to unbutton her own shirt. She did so painstakingly slow, her eyes never leaving Piper's. The buttons were undone, one by one, allowing the shirt to slide down Alex's arms to the crook of her elbow. There it stayed while she undid her shorts. As her shorts fell to the ground, Alex's arms straightened and the shirt fell off her shoulders as well. Alex's round breasts glistened in the rays of the fading sun. Her emerald eyes held Piper's blues captive.

Slowly Piper broke the gaze and allowed her eyes to look at the woman she so dearly loved. As she made it down to her legs, she realized that Alex still had on a pair of swim trunks. Piper shook her head and motioned for Alex to remove those as well.

Alex shook her own head in return and simply smiled. This was to be a night of total, ultimate pleasure for Piper. Her staying partially clothed would assure that. Alex eased into the water and wrapped her arms around Piper. She slowly began to caress Piper's neck with her lips, with the lightest of pressure.

Alex ran her tongue from Piper's shoulder, up her neck, to her mouth. The two women immediately locked into a fierce, passionate kiss. Alex's arms were tightly wrapped around her lover as their tongues explored each other's mouths, searching for the days they had lost while they were apart. Alex slid her body up next to Piper's, sliding one leg in between Piper's, pressing her up against the rushing jets. The two women slipped down into the warm water, only their heads remaining above.

Alex released her hold and her hands began to wander about Piper's body with her hands. Alex dug her fingertips into Piper's back, making her ache with pleasure. The kiss broke as Piper gasped, her head falling backwards, and back arched. Another low moan escaped her lips.

Alex pulled her fingers down Piper's back, around her hips, and down her thighs to her knees. One hand came up and cupped Piper's face as Alex ran her tongue around Piper's lips. The other hand slipped underneath Piper's knee. Alex softly rubbed the soft skin on the back of the her knee and ran fingers lightly up her leg and to her stomach, teasingly bypassing the place Piper was aching to be touched the most.

The water was pulsating against Piper's back. Her plan of romance and seduction was turning on her. Her lover was doing all of the things to herself as Piper had planned on doing them to her. The desire was intense and the passion was strong. But Piper was not expecting Alex to do what she did next; there was no way she could expect it.

Alex dropped Piper's knee and her arm snaked around Piper's naked body. She slowly turned Piper around in the water, facing away from her. Piper breathed deeply as the rush from the jets hit her breasts. The sensation was almost a stinging one, the water against her already hard nipples. Alex could sense this and cupped her hands around Piper's breast, protecting them from the forceful jets. She ran her face across Piper's back, kissing and caressing the smooth tanned body before her.

Allowing one hand to drop, she traced Piper's body with her fingers; slowly, searching, seeking. There was a definite difference between the wetness of the water and that of her girlfriend's. That instant touch, the slide of the fingers into the warmth made both women gasp.

Piper shoved away from the wall of the hot tub, turned, pulling Alex around with her. Piper was now on top of Alex, still facing away. Piper craned her neck around and found Alex's mouth. "I want to be able to touch you," she breathed. "Let me put my arms around you." Piper tried to convince Alex to no avail. Alex refused, reaching further around, deeper into Piper, making all words cease. Piper's body was already beginning to tremble with ecstasy as the two women reunited their love.

* * *

Piper awoke to the waves crashing against the pier. Alex was lying on the blanket, next to her. They had never made it out of the boathouse nor had they made it to the switch to lower the glass door. Nonetheless, Piper remained still. The cove was a small, quiet one, so it was doubtful that anybody would be coming by. Piper sat up on one elbow, reached over and brushed her lips across Alex's face. Alex awoke almost immediately.

"I've missed waking up to this face." Alex smiled and returned Piper's kiss.


	15. Missed Connections

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "If you ask people what they've always wanted to do, most people haven't done it. That breaks my heart."  
> ― Angelina Jolie

**_Donovan_ **

Nicky flopped into the overstuffed chair in the office. Thinking about what Celeste had said, she chuckled.  _I'm getting way too predictable_ , she thought.  _But last night was so far from any prediction Celeste could have made. Lorna really did a number on me. She's probably sitting at home, laughing at me this very moment._

Nicky pondered her thoughts for a while then decided to be optimistic.  _Lorna was entirely too sweet. She'll come by._  Realizing she could think about Lorna all afternoon, she tried to put all thoughts of the gorgeous woman out of her mind. Moving to the desk, Nicky began to plan.

This Christmas party will be one for everyone to remember. Christmas Day was on a Wednesday this year. Checking over the dates several times, Nicky figured that the Friday before Christmas would be perfect. All of the women who were planning to go out of town for the holidays would have plenty of time before their trips. Those having friends and family coming here to visit would also have sufficient time for preparations. So Friday it would be.

With a specific day in mine, Nicky's plan began to roll. In seemingly no time, her ideas and visions appeared on paper. The more she planned, the more excited she got.  _This is going to be so much fun,_ she thought. She laid out a buffet menu, decorations, and even music. There was so much that she wanted to do, and she furiously worked on getting all the plans in order.

* * *

Putting the finishing touches on the drawing for the layout of the tables, Nicky glanced at the clock hung on the wall. She was startled at the time. Two hours had passed. Nobody had even ventured to the office and she had almost completely planned the entire party.

Peeking out the door, Nicky could tell that the cafe had been busy. The last of the afternoon peak had dwindled to just a few tables. As she pulled her head back in the door, she caught a glimpse of a familiar figure seated at the counter. The woman ducked her head to her chest, laughing. The voice was unmistakable. Lorna was in the restaurant, and neither Celeste nor Boo had bothered to come let her know. Moreover, Boo was leaning over the counter flirting away with the woman that had taken over Nicky's mind last night.

_That fucking dyke. She calls me her friend? I am going to choke both of them for not getting me. And if Boo gets any closer, I'll just have to kill her._ Nicky shut the door and spun around to the mirror kept on the back of the door. She whipped off Alex's cap she had donned when she had gone into the office. There was absolutely no saving the wild hair, so she put the cap back on, trying to make the best of it. Finally deciding she was presentable, Nicky swung open the door and did her best saunter towards the counter.

Celeste and Boo must have sensed she was coming out because they both stood behind the counter, arms crossed, watching. The counter stools were empty. The iced tea glass where Lorna had sat was also empty, the condensation pooling around the bottom of the tumbler. The grin plastered on Nicky's face quickly faded to a frown as a cloud came over her eyes.

Celeste and Boo burst out laughing. Boo was the first to be able to control her guffaws long enough to talk. "What's wrong pal? Expecting someone?"

"Where the hell did she go?" Nicky did not direct her question to either woman in particular.

"Where did who go?"

"Boo, you know exactly who I'm talking about. Lorna. She was here, and you know it. Why in the hell didn't one of you come let me know she was here?" Nicky swung her leg over the stool and sat in Lorna's place. "You two are horrible. I can't believe I call you friends." She crossed her arms on the counter and buried her head.

Celeste looked at Boo and shrugged her shoulders. "Well you told me she wasn't coming in, and if she did, for me to not get you. I was just following orders."

Lifting her head, Nicky looked almost sad. "I didn't think she would come in."

Boo responded next. "Hey Nicky, you look like you really wanted to talk to her. Sorry. Tell me about last night. She must be one heck of a woman to do this to you."

Nicky continued to pout, animating her expressions by pushing her lower lip out and scowling.

"Come on Nic. We love you, and we want  _all_  of the details."

Nicky finally submitted to Boo's relentless pressuring and briefly told her about the conversation and dance that she had shared with Lorna. "She is so sweet and, whew, is she ever a fine woman to dance with. You both better hope she comes back; that is, if you want my forgiveness."

"Why don't you just call her?" Celeste questioned Nicky.

"Well, for starters, I did not get her phone number. She said she'd find me."

"O-ho, a player. Girlfriend, you had better watch it."

"Not, it wasn't like that or anything. But you both better start praying for her to come back!" Nicky was again in full-on pout mode.

Boo took a sideways glance at Celeste, cocking her head to one side. Winking, she said, "I think she'll be back. In fact, I guarantee it."

Nicky raised her eyebrows questioningly. "And how, pray tell, can you guarantee that?"

Boo reached beneath the counter. "Your romance left you something."

Celeste clasped her hand down on Boo's arm, stopping her from bringing what was under the counter forward. "Naw, don't give it to her. I don't think she's interested." Celeste was having a blast watching Nicky's reactions.

Nicky jumped up and playfully grabbed Celeste's collar. "You'd better let go of Boo's arm." Then to Boo, she said, "And you had better give me whatever you have under that counter."

Pushing Celeste's hand away, Boo brought up the slender, wrapped package. In it was a single golden rose surrounded by baby's breath, tightly wrapped in florist green paper. Nicky's frown was long gone as she beamed from ear to ear.

Celeste whistled. "Gee Nicky, no woman has ever brought you flowers before, more or less a rose. What did you do to this woman?"

Nicky buried her face into the paper, fully smelling the sweet aroma of the rose. She could not contain her pleasure. "You're right; no one has ever given me flowers before. But you never can tell, I could get used to it."

"Oh no!" Boo reached over, pulled off the cap and tussled Nicky's already crazy hair. "Before we know it, you'll be straightening your hair and painting your fingernails."

This brought laughter from all three women. Simultaneously, they all exclaimed, "NOT!"

"Yes, and I can just see the heels now."

"I doubt it." Nicky could feel her body relax as she fondly gazed at the rose Lorna had left her. She had not even realized she how tensed she had been. "Yay, there's a card." Nicky unpinned the card from the paper, pulling it out of the small envelope. On the tiny card, there were but four words. Nicky's already tremendous grin became even larger.

"What does it say?" Boo leaned over the counter, peering around the rose in Nicky's hand.

Nicky turned the card around for the women to read.

"Thanks for the dance." Boo read the writing aloud. "Hmm Nicky, she seems intriguing. You had better watch out. She'll sweep you off your feet."

Nicky could not keep from grinning. "Yeah, well, we'll see."

Celeste came around the counter and took a seat next to Nicky. "How do you feel about her Nicky? Do you like her?"

Nicky thought for a moment. "I don't know how I feel. This is so different for me. She is indeed intriguing. Yes, I suppose I like her. But again, it feels different. She's interesting and so easy to talk with. This is going to be a whole new experience for me. I'm just to just using my one-night stands for a few weeks until they dry up and blow away!"

Boo excused herself to check on the remaining customers. Nicky and Celeste continued to visit about Nicky's evening with Lorna.

"Actually Celeste, I feel stupid. I just, well, I like her, I suppose. I just don't know what to do."

"Take it one day at a time Nicky. Don't give or take too much, too quickly. I know this isn't your style, but it may be worth your time."

Nicky nodded in agreement.

"So are we throwing a Christmas party or what?"

Celeste's sudden change in conversation threw Nicky off balance. "Oh yes girlfriend," Nicky replied excitedly. "I've laid out the entire party. Will you and Boo look over the plans this evening and let me know what you think?"

"Certainly." Celeste pulled Nicky's hand over in front of her and smelled her rose. "Nice touch, don't you think?" Celeste grinned and as Nicky blushed and ducked her head. "I'll take that as a yes. I have got to get back to my job."

"Okay," Nicky replied. "I'll leave the plans in a folder on Alex's desk. Call me later."

* * *

Nicky kicked off her shoes as she walked into the door of her apartment. She headed directly for the kitchen, searching for a container in which to place the rose from Lorna. Finding nothing, Nicky fished in the trash and retrieved a beer bottle. Filling it with water and arranging the rose, she proudly placed the brown bottle in the center of her kitchen table.  _There,_ she thought _, just as every lesbian's house should be._

Nicky flipped on the stereo and exhaustedly fell on the couch. No sooner did she settle down, she fell soundly asleep.

* * *

Nicky was jolted from her dream by the shrill ringing of the telephone. Struggling to her feet, she stumbled over to the phone she had tossed by the door. Clicking answer, she blasted into the phone, "WHAT!"

"Hmm, maybe I should call back?" The loudness of Nicky's voice had startled Boo.

"No, no. I'm sorry. I was just sleeping. What time is it?" Nicky yawned and rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

"Almost nine."

"Are you still at the restaurant?"

"No dear, it's almost nine in the morning. You must have been quite asleep."

Nicky stretched her free arm overhead then switched hands. I guess so Boo. What's up?

"Well I was just trying to catch you before you went anywhere. We looked over your plans last night. We could not find a single thing we would change. You are indeed the master of partiers."

"Thanks. I try. This is what I do in my free time. Try to find new and improved ways to have a blast."

Boo chuckled. "Well the more I think about it, the better convinced I become that Piper and Alex will approve. I can't wait for them to call so I can tell them all about it. You did really well Nicky."

Nicky was proud to hear this. Although she did love to party, this was an acknowledgment she needed to hear. She had worked hard planning and was glad to hear Boo approved of her ideas.

"But that is not the main reason I called. My cousin is in town and we are going to go out to dinner tonight. I was wondering if you'd like to join us?"

"Oh no, I don't do blind dates. You know this Boo!" Nicky shuddered at the mere thought.

"Hey now - who said anything about a blind date? I just wanted to know if you wanted to go eat with us."

"Boo, I know you too well. You are always trying to set me up with some sophisticated friend of yours, someone whom you think would be good for me and would calm me down. No thank you. I don't trust you a bit."

"Did I even say my cousin was a woman or that he or she was even gay?"

"Well you're inviting me, aren't you? I'm not exactly your picture perfect straight friend. I have an obnoxious foul mouth and can offend just about anyone."

"No, but I want you to go. Please, for me?"

"Hmm, do you promise you aren't setting me up?"

"Me? Never! Just go with us."

Nicky finally agreed and got the details. They were to meet at The Landing, a small seafood restaurant in Drewton. She vaguely remembered Boo talking about a gay cousin. Nicky made a conjecture about what she looked like.  _She's probably 50 years old with two grown children_  she thought. _Oh well, it'll keep me from sitting around, thinking about Lorna all night. Although thinking about Lorna would be quite enjoyable._ A warm feeling came over her as she glanced at the rose propped up in the beer bottle. As much as she would love to sit and contemplate Lorna's existence in her life all day, she had work to do. She got up from the couch and went to tend to her business.

* * *

"Is she coming?" Lorna was giddy at the thought.

"Yes; she hasn't got a clue."

"Great! Thanks Boo. I owe you." Lorna reached over to kiss Boo on the cheek and gave her a big hug. "My big ol' teddy bear!"

"Oh! You left just in time yesterday. She must have seen you at the counter because when she came out and didn't find you, she was crushed."

"Well I will just have to help heal that wounded little heart this evening. What about the rose? Did she take it?"

"Of course she took it. The look on her face was priceless. She could have been blown over by a puff of air." Boo puffed into her hand like she was blowing the seeds off of dandelions. "Like I said before, I have to hand it to you; you're great."

"I do like her, just like you said I would. She was quite polite and just too adorable. I am glad she's meeting us tonight. I can't lead her on like this for too long."

"Lead her on? What do you mean about that? You said you like her."

"I do like her. But I believe she is quite intrigued by now. It's time to see what else can develop. I guess I used the wrong choice in words. I can't continue to tease her!"

"As long as you don't stomp on her heart, it's okay. She needs some stability in her life. She has so much to give someone but is totally lost on how to give so that she doesn't get taken to the cleaners."

"I know what you mean. So we'll see how it goes. I have got to get some things done around the house, so I will meet you at your place tonight."

"You don't want to meet us at the restaurant?"

"Nope. I don't think we'll need all of our cars there." Lorna's laugh sounded almost sinister.

"Okay cuz'. We'll be looking for you."


	16. Blind Date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "There's an undeniable thrill about meeting a stranger and spending a few hours together, indulging in each other's lives. It's that spurt of saying whatever you want and leaving it behind with someone who'll never look at you and think of it again."
> 
> ― Danielle Esplin, Give It Back

Nicky spent the day piddling around the house. She washed clothes and dishes and straightened up. All the while, she found her thoughts drifting back to the bar and to Lorna. She just couldn't get Lorna out of her mind. And if she had a brief lapse of thought, she would see the rose sitting on her table, and the thoughts would begin all over again.

Finally it was late enough for her to shower and get ready for dinner. She dressed casual - the more comfortable, the better. They were going to meet at  _The Landing_. Although it was one of the few seafood restaurants in the area, it was laid back like every place else.

* * *

Nicky figured she would go a bit early and sit at the bar. She disliked walking in last, leaving people waiting for her. So she timed her drive so that she arrived fifteen minutes prior to their agreed time. Sitting at the bar, she positioned herself so she could see the door. Soon Nicky saw Celeste's car pull into the lot. She ordered another beer and motioned to the maître de that her party had arrived.

When they walked in, Nicky nearly choked on her beer. Walking alongside Celeste and Boo was none other than Lorna. The shock must have registered quite obviously on her face because upon seeing Nicky, Celeste began to chuckle. Boo motioned her shocked friend over. "Nicky, my dear friend, please allow me to introduce you to my cousin, Lorna."

Lorna offered her hand for a shake. Nicky grasped Lorna's hand then slowly lifted it to her lips. "It is definitely a pleasure," she said, kissing Lorna's hand. She slowly released Lorna's hand and straightened up. "And you," she said, thrusting her finger in Boo's face, "are going to die."

Boo and Celeste were both thoroughly tickled by now. "Nah, I don't think so," laughed Boo.

Lorna drew her other hand from behind her back. She had another wrapped rose and offered it to Nicky. "To keep the other one company. And to beg for your forgiveness."

"Apology accepted." Nicky accepted the rose and again breathed in its sweet aroma. "To hell with them," she said motioning towards Boo and Celeste. "They are evil, evil people."

"Hey Nicky, are you going to put that in your beer bottle with the other one?" Celeste laughed at her own joke. "We know you don't own a vase."

Nicky blushed. "Leave me alone and let's eat." She grinned at Lorna. "I guess I am kinda glad it was you. Otherwise I would have had to sit here all night, staring at a stranger wishing she were you!"

The four women were seated and ordered their meal. Throughout the entire night, Nicky kept looking at the three women and shaking her head. "I have been taken by you two." Her comments were obviously directed at her two friends. "You had best be watching your backs for a while. You never know when I am going to return your deed."

"It was a pretty sweet favor if you ask me Nicky." Lorna was smiling her mischievous smile. "I told you I would find you."

"You certainly did. I was probably being set up the entire time. Use me and abuse me. That's all I'm good for"

"I'm not the game playing type. Boo had wanted for us to meet, and I decided to have a little fun. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me." She reached over and placed her hand in Nicky's. Under the table, she pressed her knee firmly against Nicky's leg.

Nicky sat for a while, enjoying the touch and replied, "You are forgiven on one condition."

Lorna raised her eyebrows and lifted her knee, rubbing against Nicky's leg. "Which is...?"

"Join me at the lake this evening. We can go for a walk and enjoy the sounds."

"I'd be honored to join you Nicky." Looking at Boo, she smiled as if to say  _See, I told you I didn't need my car._

* * *

The women's meal arrived and they joked and laughed as they ate. It was a most pleasant evening. Lorna was tormenting Boo with stories from their childhood. "You would never believe the tomboy that tried to stay hidden in this big old scruffy dyke you see today. She was quite a handful for my aunt. We never knew what to expect. Once my aunt tried to make Boo, well Carrie wear a dress for school pictures. Carrie threw such a fit. She only agreed when her dad promised to take her for ice cream later. That's probably the only picture that exists of Boo in a dress." The entire tabled roared.

Lorna continued to tell Celeste and Nicky about of their childhood experiences. Boo was laughing right along with them as the memories were laid out. "How do you remember all of these things?"

"Well, you gave me so much hell when we were kids, I figured I'd remember every last embarrassing story so that on a day such as today, I could get even with you. It worked, didn't it?"

"You are certainly getting even. In fact, I think you getting a wee bit ahead of me." Boo shot a smile towards her cousin who was obviously having a great time at her expense.

"I don't know. You were pretty hellacious  _Carrie_."

* * *

The meal went quickly and soon it was time to leave. Nicky and Lorna bide their goodbyes to Celeste and Boo and left. Nicky unlocked the passenger door of her truck and opened it for Lorna. "Pardon the mess."

"Please. I think everyone's vehicle is like this."

Nicky shut the door and walked around to the driver's side. Revving up the engine in her truck, she headed towards her favorite spot at the lake.

"This place is so nice. The cabin belongs to a woman who used to work at  _The Place_  with us. It's hers and her girlfriend's. It is peaceful and calming, the perfect place to go to ponder life." She pulled into the driveway.

Lorna stayed in the truck to allow Nicky to open her door. As Nicky helped her out of the truck, Lorna continued to hold Nicky's hand. The two walked along the lake's edge, taking the same path Nicky had taken Sunday morning after leaving the bar. The birds were active, flying all about, playfully chirping. Frogs were croaking, deep and echoing across the water. All of the animal sounds smoothly blended into the sounds of the water splashing on the shore.

When they reached the rocks, Nicky stopped. Looking at Lorna, Nicky noticed slight chill bumps on her arms. "Are you cold?"

Lorna looked down at her arms and nodded.

Nicky pulled Lorna in front of her, encircling Lorna with her arms. Nicky was just enough to lean down slightly to rest her chin on Lorna's shoulder.

"That's better," Lorna responded softly. "Thank you."

The women stood by the rocks, savoring the sights, sounds, and smells of the outdoors around them. The only motion was the swaying of the two bodies pressed together the shore and the waves lapping on the shore.

Nicky released her hold on Lorna and nodded towards the park behind them. "Would you like to sit out here for a while? Or do you have to get back to your dogs." It was now Nicky with the slight grin.

"I would love to sit and visit for a while. And no, I don't have to get back to my dogs," chuckled Lorna. "I couldn't seem too anxious Saturday." Lorna smiled demurely.

"Oh? And why not?"

"I want to take things slowly."

"Things? Does that mean I can ask you out again? ... if I promise to take it slow?"

"I suppose I could handle another date. In fact, I would be delighted Nicky. You have been nothing but wonderful to me thus far."

The women had wandered towards the park and stopped at a table. Nicky glanced around. "The grass looks much more comfortable. Do you mind?"

Lorna shook her head. Nicky found a sprawling oak tree and sat down, her back resting against the smooth but gnarled trunk, knees bent. Lorna positioned herself between Nicky's legs, leaning against Nicky's chest.

"Is this okay?"

"As long as you're comfortable, I'll be fine. Nicky again wrapped her arms around Lorna's shoulders.

"Well, I am comfortable, very comfortable. You're comfortable." Lorna's voice barely rose above a whisper. "It's strange."

"Strange? How?"

"Well we only met a few days ago. And here I am, sitting at the lake, in between your legs, with your arms wrapped around me."

"And me whispering in your ear." Nicky found Lorna's ear and quietly breathed the words, blowing soft, gentle breathes, her lips gently tickling Lorna's ear.

A low, rumbling noise came from Lorna's chest, not really a moan, just a relaxing release of air. "Yes you are, and it does feel good."

They sat in silence for a while. Nicky gently kissed Lorna's ear and brushed her lips down Lorna's neck. Leaning back against the tree, Nicky softly spoke. "Does it? Feel good, I mean."

Lorna's breath had slowed and become deeper. "Yes," she whispered. "You feel good.

Nicky's head returned to the other side of Lorna's neck, again softly caressing her skin with her lips.

"Your mouth is so soft." Lorna tilted her head back and turned around, her mouth searching for Nicky's. Their lips met with an electrifying pulse and then were still, each woman savoring the tenderness of the other's skin.

Lorna released her pent up breath, turning her shoulders to better reach Nicky. Lorna's lips slowly separated, her tongue easing between Nicky's lip, greeting her tongue softly. The kiss was slow and long. Lorna giggled as she reached up and cupped Nicky's face gently in her hands, stroking her cheek as she drew her mouth slightly away from Nicky's.

Lorna was the first to speak, her mouth still close to Nicky's. "That was nice."

Nicky nodded in agreement. "Yes, it was indeed." Nicky had one arm wrapped around Lorna's twisted body. She reached over and pulled Lorna's legs around and tucked them under her bent knee. Lorna rested her body against Nicky's other leg.

"So, have you thought about me?" Lorna's eyes twinkled with mischief.

"What do you think?" Nicky leaned forward, kissing Lorna's forehead.

Lorna pulled Nicky's face down to hers, lips touching. "You have." She kissed Nicky again, even more gentle and slower than before. "I have thought about kissing you." Lorna breathed the words into Nicky's mouth, not taking her lips from Nicky's nor pushing forward to kiss her.

"Well now you have. Was it as you had expected?" Nicky traced Lorna's lips with her tongue."

"Even sweeter."

Lorna rested against Nicky's knee. The two women sat beneath the tree, enjoying the nature around them, the quiet lapping water on the rocks, and the simple company of another human being's body.

* * *

Nicky picked up the manila envelope from her doorstep. As she entered the apartment, she pulled out the folder that had been stuffed into the envelope. A hastily written note was attached to the folder that contained the plans for the Christmas party.

_We tried to call. Nobody is home at either place! You two must have hit it off well. So much for refusing blind dates. Call us when you finally drag out of bed. Love you - Celeste and Boo._


	17. Christmas Party

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The main reason Santa is so jolly is because he knows where all the bad girls live.  
> ~ George Carlin

**_Five days before Christmas, Donovan_ **

"Come on out of there Nichols. You can't hide in the back forever." Boo was bellowing towards the back office where Nicky was apparently hiding. "Damn it, we are opening the doors soon and we all want to ohh and aww."

"Fuck! No!" Nicky's voice sounded almost pained.

"Honey." Lorna tried next. "Please come out. I'm waiting to see you."

"Awww damn it. Okay. Close your peepers everyone." Nicky paused. "Are your eyes closed?" Nicky padded out to the front in her stocking feet clutching her pointy shoes to her chest. "Okay. I guess you can open them."

Nicky stood in front of them, dressed head to toe in an elf costume, complete with little rosy red cheeks. Everyone burst out in laughter. They hadn't believed she would actually go through with it. "I have no idea what you fuckers are laughing at – this is the latest fashion at the North Pole…"

"Oh darling. You look so sweet, and we match." Lorna spun around to show off her Mrs. Elf costume. "But your shoes…" Lorna pointed to Nicky's red and green striped stockings pulled up to her knickers. "Where are they?"

Nicky huffed and pulled up a chair to slip on the pointy shoes. "Happy?" She stomped her feet to the ground and walked to the makeshift DJ stand. The little tiny bells attached to the ends of the shoes Nicky jingled causing the group to break out once more in hysterics.

Celeste leaned over to Boo and stage-whispered, "I thought elves were jolly? Not grumpy like one of the seven dwarfs!"

"I heard that!"

* * *

Piper drew in a sharp breath. When she had turned the corner onto the street running in front of  _The Place_ ; the street was lined on both sides with vehicles. There were a few women scattered about the block making their ways in various directions, most making their way towards the café so it seemed. "What the hell is going on here?" Piper couldn't fathom where all the occupants of these vehicles were.

Alex pried her eyes from the view and glanced at Piper questioningly. "Heck, I don't know. It looks like there's a party."

"Sure does!" Piper answered

Alex found a parking place and the couple made their way to the sidewalk in front of the café, weaving in and out of the cars along the street.

A stranger dressed as an elf greeted the owners at the door. They were nearly pulled into the building as a schedule of events was pressed into Alex's hand. From somewhere to their left, two glasses of eggnog appeared. The two women were thrust into an environment that looked vaguely familiar. But was this their establishment?

A brightly decorated tree stood in the midst of the tables that were laden with décor. The entire restaurant was one big Christmas party. Moving past the standing crowd around the outside of the table perimeter, Piper pointed to the multitude of brightly wrapped gifts beneath the tree.

The party guests and staff were rocking to the beats of a portable sound system apparently brought in by Nicky who was playing elf-DJ. Alex could not keep her smirk buried as she pulled out her phone to document the foolish sight.

"Where DID she find these Christmas songs?" Piper couldn't help swaying her hips to the beat of "The Night Santa Went Crazy" by Weird Al.

"There they are!" Boo's heft came to a sliding stop in front of owner and manager. "Ho ho ho and all that jazz. Welcome to  _The Place_ , Christmas Style." Boo hung red and green tinseled leis around each woman's neck.

Celeste waltzed up with two glasses of what appeared to be apple cider and presented them. "Wassil for the newcomers. Spiked, of course. Shhhh don't tell the bosses. We checked with the city. Nothing is being sold tonight so for all they care, it's a private party. And finish your egg nog. Everyone needs to be double-fisting drinks tonight. There is more on the side table or help yourselves to any non-alcoholic beverage of your choice."

Piper and Alex looked at each other then back to Boo and Celeste. "You left them in charge?" Alex shrugged her shoulders as she was in as much disbelief as Piper.

Celeste answered before Alex could get her mouth open. "Yes! And we decided that if you two could go on a trip to Florida, we could have a Christmas party!" She grabbed Boo's hand and walked away.

Alex laughed. "Well I guess they told us! I guess this saves us from having to round them up for their Christmas presents, eh?" Alex patted her jacket pocket as Piper smiled.

Holding hands, they walked around the café watching the customers and staff enjoying themselves. The room was decorated beyond belief, like elves had thrown up everywhere. Yet it was the epitome of Christmas spirit.

Piper nudged Alex and motioned towards a woman they didn't recognize. It was the female elf who had greeted them at the door. Now she was walking around with a tray of red and green cookies. "Who's that?" Piper's voice was low, only for Alex's ears. Alex shrugged. "I'm almost scared to point out that she matches Nicky."

"Probably another of Nicky's nightly conquests. At least she put this one to work!" Alex chuckled at the thought of Nicky wearing matching outfits with a one night stand. Alex and Piper made their rounds, greeting everyone and wishing Happy Holidays to all. Somehow they kept missing Mrs. Elf. Finally they made a concerted effort to track her down.

"Oh hi. Cookies?" Mrs. Elf offered the tray as she spoke in her not quite Boston, not quite New York accent. Her bright red lipstick seemed to almost match the rosy painted on cheek circles.

Alex offered her hand. "Hi. I'm Alex and this is Piper."

Mrs. Elf shifted the tray to her other hand. "Oh hi! I'm Lorna, Boo's cousin. I've heard so much about you two. It's nice to finally meet you!" Lorna was over-exuberant yet friendly.

Alex snorted. "Boo's cousin, eh? So... you are Mrs. Elf to Nicky's Mr. Elf, huh? Interesting."

Lorna blushed and turned to give Nicky a little wave. "Oh Nicky. She's such a gentleman. And charming, too." Lorna re-shifted the cookie tray. "It was nice to meet you both. I hate to serve and run, but I have to keep feeding the guests. Earn my keep, you know."

Piper and Alex turned to stare at each other. They waited for Lorna to get a respectable distance away before they both burst out laughing. Piper had tears rolling down her cheeks. "A gentleman?"

"Charming?" Alex wiped her own eyes. "What the fuck has gotten into our staff while we were gone. This is all your fault Pipes. You had to leave and then we come back to all this weirdness."

When the two felt suitably composed, Piper and Alex sought out Celeste to get the scoop on Nicky and Lorna. Indeed it was true, their little lion cub was growing into a full grown, bushy haired lion.

* * *

Party guests who had not accompanied an employee were all gone by 11 pm, leaving the staff and their partners and dates. They had pulled tables around the Christmas tree, sitting closely together as they continued to share drinks. By this time a lot of alcohol had been consumed and the employees and partners were in full party mood and Christmas spirit.

Boo had insisted that everyone should get into the spirit and wear Christmas accessories. She herself was sat in a Christmas jumper whereas for Nicky, it wasn't quite over yet. Boo had yet to give into the games and had one last surprise for Nicky, who was settling into a seat beside Lorna still sporting her elf costume.

Breathing a sigh of relief as she kicked off her elf shoes, Nicky exclaimed "Who would have thought being an elf would be such hard work?"

Lorna's head rested on Nicky's shoulder, as she giggled at her date in an almost squeaky voice. "Oh Nicky being an elf is fun!" She looked down to her own elf shoes, wiggling her pointy toes so the bells could ring, "If you think it's hard work, you are thinking about it all wrong." She gave Nicky a soft kiss on the cheek causing an immediate blush to rise on Nicky's face as all her eyes from her fellow colleagues where on a very smitten Nicky.

Boo chuckled, teasing. "Who knew that all it would take to tame the mighty Nicky was a silly little elf. Thanks Cousin Elf." This provoked laughter from everyone sitting around, but for Nicky the teasing only continued as a smirk adorned Boo's face. She looked the elf costume up and down, "Now Mr. Elf, your duties are not quite finished. There is a little something you have left to do."

Nicky's eyebrows raised as Boo leaned behind her chair, pulling something red from her bag. Nicky immediately stood to her feet, shaking her head as she watched the costume unfolding. Protesting. "No. I am not wearing that thing. As if this elf costume wasn't stupid enough. I am  _not_  dressing up as Santa."

"Oh but you have the crazy hair to go with the long curly beard. What do you all think? Tell her Lorna, wouldn't she look cute?" Boo waved the costume in front of Nicky laughing as a round of cheers came from the group. Nicky's frown on her face increased as Boo edged closer with the costume, laughing harder at Nicky. "Don't spoil the fun Nichols. We are rooting for you. Your work isn't done, there are still gifts that need handing out and what better way to do it than become Santa?

"Ho Ho Ho." Nicky's head darted round to Alex as Piper tapped Alex on the arm, laughing. Just as Nicky was about to give back to Alex, Lorna placed her hand on Nicky's arm, distracting her. "Oh darling, you should. You would look ever so cute."

Alex couldn't contain her laughter as she watched Nicky's scowl soften and a gentle nod at Lorna. Before she turned back to a smirking group trying to hide their laughter. "You fuckers will all pay for this!"

She reached out snatching the costume from Boo, the small silence was misplaced with the fits of laughter from the group. Watching Nicky give into a female was hilarious, not something they would have imagined witnessing. Nicky was playing into the hands of her colleagues.

"Fuck Nichols. Didn't think you had it in you. Taking orders from a woman. Who is a good girl now? Hey Lorna. What treat does she get for being a good doggy?"

"You!" Nicky stepped forward, pushing the costume back into Boo, who grins upwards at her, "are going to pay for this."

Boo's eyebrows raised as Nicky turned to the smirking group. Sitting back in her seat. "Fuckers."

"Lorna, does the puppy want to earn another treat? Nichols, why don't you be a good elf and hand out the gifts?"

Secret Santa had been something that the staff had agreed to do as part of the party planning. Although each member of staff had no idea of who was their secret Santa, over the duration of the planning, there had been a lot of speculation and guessing about which person had whom. Nicky had agreed that names should be put into a hat and each member of staff would go into the office and pick out a name, obliging by the rules and keeping it to themselves. With Alex and Piper being away, it was agreed that their presents would be joint. Keeping to the rules, Nicky asked Lorna to pick out the final name and text it to Piper and Alex so that they could participate as it wouldn't be the same without them. Up until this very moment the Secret Santa's had remained a secret.

Piper was seated on Alex's lap as Nicky began to hand out the gifts, throwing Boo's at her. She turned to Alex with a grin on her face. Leaning down to kiss Alex on the cheek as she whispered into her ear excitedly. "I wonder what we got?"

Alex laughed, kissing Piper on the cheek. Shushing her jokingly as their gifts were handed to them. She looked to Piper's whose eyes were wide in excitement. Shaking their joint gift in her hand as she attempted to guess what she had received. They had agreed they would work around the circle. Leaving Piper and Alex to go last, which allowed them to hand out their gifts to their employees.

Celeste opened hers first, followed by Boo. Boo raised the identifiable wrapped gift, looking around the group as she laughed. Unfolding the gift wrapping as she slowly revealed a screwdriver. Her eyes flicked directly to Nicky who had a grin on her face watching Boo reveal her Secret Santa gift. But for Boo, she saw the humor in it. Standing to put it into her back pocket nodding. "Thanks guys. I will be sure to put that to good use." Her head turn winking at Celeste, then back to Nicky. "Go on Nichols. I bet you don't get a screw as good as I."

Nicky's gift was less obvious. All that was clear was it was something within a box. As she unwrapped the paper and looked down to the black box, an image of a drill. "Aww that's a great gift darling." Nicky looked to Lorna and back to the box, opening it up.

"Hey Nichols. Looks like you are finally about to get some action because the only holes you are going to be drilling are with that thing. Guess that makes me top dyke."

Boo shrugged her shoulders, earning a nudge in her side from Celeste. As they continued around the group they finished on Piper and Alex. Alex allowed Piper to unwrap the gift excitedly. A gift that the team had decided would be perfect for anyone who had their name from the hat.

All eyes were on an excited Piper as she pulled a framed picture from the wrapping. Holding in front of Alex and herself as they admired the gift. A picture of the entire staff. "Aw guys! This is perfect. We will put it up on the wall right Al?"

"Yeah. Thank you!"

Now that all of the staff had finished opening their Secret Santa presents, Alex nudged Piper in the side for approval as she nodded towards the envelopes. Piper responded with a small nod, handing out envelopes to Boo, Celeste, and Nicky. Each woman opened her envelope, pulled out the paperwork and began to read. Flipping quickly through the pages, Boo and Celeste looked at each other questioningly.

"Want to put this in plain English boss lady?" Nicky had such a way with words. "It looks like we are getting sued with all these pages of legal mumbo jumbo."

Alex grinned. "Well actually it's quite simple. Piper and I have formed a partnership, PA Enterprise. PA Enterprise is the controlling owner of the  _The Place_. Well it  **was**  the controlling entity. PA Ent now holds only 49% of the ownership of  _The Place_. The other 51% has been equally divided among Celeste, Boo, and Nicky. Boo's eyebrows furrowed as Alex talked. She continued reading during the explanation.

Poking Alex in the ribs, Piper pointed to Boo. Celeste and Nicky looked as well. Piper leaned over, placing a hand on Boo's shoulders. She whispered in Boo's ear, "Welcome to the world of business ownership."

Piper stood up. "Ladies there is a lot about my life that you know nothing about. I have been through some major trials. This restaurant was a new start for me. Thanks to each of you, this place,  _THE Place,_  is a booming success."

"I've thought about this for quite some time. Returning from Key West and seeing the initiative that you took in planning the Christmas party made my decision final. There is no lease on this building. I, well WE, own it. There are no liens of any kind on the furniture, equipment, etc. We, as a team, are owners, free and clear, of this restaurant. PA Ent owns 49% of The Place. Each of you own 17%. I am not interested in maintaining control and 51% was much simpler to divide into three!"

Piper took her seat then looked around the table. The silence was deafening. Nicky cleared her throat. "Ahh, I'm not quite sure what to say. But one thing does come to mind. Thank you." The other two women nodded their heads in agreement.

"Yeah, thanks." Boo agreed.

Piper smiled softly. "Thank YOU for giving me a new start to my new life. So? Now what?" The group look around at each other, not quite knowing what to say.

"Party?" Boo's comment created an uproar. Laughter rippled throughout the room.


	18. Holidays are Upon Us

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful."  
> ― Norman Vincent Peale

After the company party wrapped up, Piper and Alex had insisted the workers go home and leave the two of them to clean up what absolutely had to be done that night. While it was a struggle, the staff finally agreed. Alex chuckled as she locked the door behind the pair of elves who merrily were the last two to jingle their way through the door.

"I've missed this place." Piper looked around the café. "More than I realized."

Alex smiled as she pulled a large trash can into the center of the room and began sorting trash from food that could be saved. "I'm sure everyone missed you, too, Piper. Everyone was pretty riled up for the party, and I think their gift shocked them. I'm sure as the next few days go by, you'll come to realize that they did indeed miss you."

"I don't doubt the staff missed me. But I meant, I missed  _this place,_ the café." Piper opened food containers to start packaging food that was salvageable. "Ugh. Alex. This food. What are we going to do with it?"

Alex chuckled as she stuffed more plates and cups into the large gray trash can. "The cookies and sweets we can keep here if you want as give-aways to customers over the next few days. The rest, I say keep packaging it and let's take it by the shelter. Or we could take it all by the shelter. I'm sure they would appreciate the sweets, too."

Piper nodded her head in agreement. "You have such awesome ideas babe. This is why I keep you around."

"And all along I thought it was for my stunning looks and mad harmonica skills." Alex tossed her hair back and forth. She made a mental note to get a new harmonica tomorrow as her previous one was now at the bottom of Lake Donovan.

Piper wrapped her arms around Alex and kissed her smartly on the cheek before going back to her own tasks. "Yeah, that's it."

The clean-up did not take a long time as they decided to leave the decorations up through Christmas because it seem that the staff went to a lot of damned work for just one night. Everyone should enjoy them through the season. Soon Alex was loading her Jeep up with the excess food while Piper turned out the lights and locked up shop.

* * *

The next few days were surprisingly busy. It seemed that many customers were off work and wanting to be out taking coffee and meal breaks at The Place, bringing in guests from out of town as well. Alex and Piper insisted on working the front of the store and continue to allow Celeste and Boo manage as they had during the original owner's absence.

"You two have done an excellent job, and we are going to be taking an increasingly hands-off approach in management of The Place." Alex popped the towel she was using to clean tables in Boo's direction. "We'll be around, but we are tossing some other ideas in the air which is another reason for y'all's Christmas present. Piper figured the three of you would stick around if you had some skin in the game other than just a paycheck." Alex shook the red hat on her head as emphasis.

As her first action as part owner, Nicky had made an executive decision. Until Christmas was over, all employees had to wear a Santa hat. Except her of course. By some unknown force of nature, Nicky came to work every day dressed in full elfin regalia. Perhaps this is the reason none of the other staff protested about the Santa hats.

* * *

"Alright, alright. I hear you. I'm coming already." Alex stomped to the doorway and jerked the front door open. She had an idea whose obnoxious knock it might be but she did not want Piper to know. It was Christmas Eve and her plans were running right on schedule. "Hey Nicky," Alex began to whisper to her friend but a very short Santa pushed right past her into the living room.

"Ho, ho, ho bitches. Merry Christmas!" Nicky had exchanged her elf costume for a Santa one. Frankly, her wiry hair looked better protruding out of the elf hat than the Santa as the white fake beard clashed with her reddish blonde hair. Nicky traipsed over to the counter and dropped her sack on the counter. Reaching for a cup out of the cabinet, she helped herself to coffee. She looked around the kitchen. "What? No treats for Santa? I might have to put you two on the naughty list. Ho, ho, ho!"

"Hey Nicky. Merry Christmas Eve. Where's Ms. Clause?" Piper gave Nicky a quick smooch on the cheek which caused Nicky to mock-glare.

"How dare you Vause. Let your woman molest me when you know I'm a taken woman now!"

Alex rolled her eyes. "What's up Santa?"

Nicky blew on her coffee to cool it slightly and took a sip. "You know you both called me, right?" Piper and Alex looked at each other questioningly. "Ahhh you didn't know. Ho, ho, ho. Well you did. And each of you had very specific gift requests for the other of which I had to obtain and maintain until the eve of the special gift-giving day."

Piper laughed. "Well you've done a damned good job in keeping the secret Nic. I'm impressed." Alex nodded in agreement. Piper playfully punched Alex in the ribs. "I know what I wanted to get you, but whatever you did you need Nicky's help with for me?" Alex just shrugged.

Nicky untied the neck of the red velvet bag she had brought in and withdrew two wrapped, identical non-descript, medium sized boxes. She gave one to each woman. "Now this is going to seem weird, but no questions until all has been revealed. Santa has a plan." Alex and Piper pulled their respective boxes towards them. "Do you agree to Santa's rules?" Both women nodded. Nicky nodded to them to open the gifts simultaneously.

The lids were wrapped separately from the base, so each woman only had to lift the top and dig through the tissue to get to the gift at the bottom. Alex pulled out a medium sized plush toy. She gave it a squeeze and jumped when it squeaked. At the same time, Piper pulled out a ceramic bowl decorated with paw prints. Both women took a breath to protest to Nicky. "Uh Uh Uh! You agreed to Santa's rules. No questions until all has been revealed. Now follow me." Nicky slung her now empty sack over her shoulder and marched out the door.

Sitting in the back of her truck in the driveway was Lorna dressed as Ms. Claus in a red velvet costume with a skirt and white stockings. "Merry Christmas ladies!" Her accent and cheerful demeanor would have been more than enough to cheer the worse Christmas Grinch. "Say hi to your new mommies kids!"

Nicky lowered the tailgate of her truck to reveal two quite large, strange looking puppies wrestling about on an old blanket. Each was sporting a broad leather collar and trailing a twisted rope leash. Nicky grasped hold of one leash and gently pulled the yellow pup forward. "This… is Peep." She pointed to the name stamped on her collar. Lorna was wrangling the chocolate brown bundle. Nicky pointed. "That… is Chocolate Easter Bunny or Choc for short."

Before now, Alex and Piper had been too stunned to speak. Out of the blue, a loud shriek of excitement filled the air as Piper crawled into the back of the truck. Both puppies rocketed towards her which delighted her to no end, of course. "Nicky, this is perfect." Piper's eyes were shining brightly as she looked over at a still silent Alex. "Merry Christmas Al."

Alex walked over and leaned into the truck bed to scratch one of the pooch's head. "Nicky?" Nicky was avoiding looking at her boss and nonchalantly talking to Lorna. "Nicky! Two puppies?"

Nicky made a crooked face. "Yeah boss. Umm remember, you both called me with pretty specific requests. I believe your words were, 'I want to surprise Piper with a dog.'"

Piper's gaze whipped up as her attention was broken away from the squirming pups. "Wait. What? Nicky, didn't you just decide to get Alex two pups? Because I wanted to get Alex a dog."

"Ummm, no." Both Alex and Piper were thoroughly confused now. "One is for Alex from Piper. The other is for Piper from Alex. When you both asked me to find a puppy at the shelter for each other, I about had a conniption. This has been so hard to keep under wraps. Merry Christmas bosses."

As realization hit the couple that they each had wanted the same present for the other, they shared a few laughs as Alex, too, crawled into the back of the truck. "Nicky these are the strangest looking pups I have ever seen. Did you go to another planet to find them?"

"Naw. The woman at the shelter said they are Dachsadors. Their mom was a Labrador Retriever and their dad was a Dachshund, however the hell that worked out. Regardless the litter had just been cleared for adoption when I had gone in looking for you guys. They're sisters. And it's Christmas, so I figured they needed good old-fashioned holiday names. Watch this!" Nicky positioned herself on the opposite side of the truck from where the dogs were playing. "Peep!" The yellow puppy's ears perked up. "Peep! Come here Peep." She ambled over to Nicky nudging her outstretched hand. "They know their names. So you can't change them!"

"Fuck you Nicky." Alex laughed. "Well Merry Christmas Piper. I hope you like your … our presents." Alex couldn't talk anymore as suddenly she was laying on her back with two puppies licking her face.

* * *

Each woman wrangled a wriggling pup out of Alex's Jeep and set them on the grass outside the pet store to give them a chance to relieve themselves before going inside. Piper leaned against Alex and reached up slightly to kiss her on the jaw. "Are we okay with this Al? Two puppies?"

Alex turned her head and returned Piper's kiss on the side of her forehead. "I wouldn't want Peep or Choc to get lonely. Growing up a single child is rough, especially with names like they have. They would get beat up at the dog park without a sibling to stick up for them. I can't believe Nicky got them used to those names. Can we  _please_  change them Piper?"

"I think they are cute names, strange but cute. Let's just keep them." With a note of finality in her voice, Piper tugged slightly on Peep's leash. "Let's go inside Peep and see about picking out some things for you and your sister." The little yellow dog waddled along beside her into the store.

As Alex pushed a shopping cart with the puppies inside, Piper was steadily adding things to the cart – food, squeaky toys, treats and plush pillows. "Pipes? Seriously? You have the entire store in here."

"Come on Alex. It's Christmas Eve! Let's shop for our babies!"

* * *

Alex spent considerable time wrestling puppies off her lap as she put together the kennel and puppy play pen. "A little help here Pipes?"

Piper settled on the couch, drawing her feet beneath her. "I think you have all the help you need." After a meaningful glare from Alex, Piper slid to the floor. "Peep, Choc. Come here girls." The puppies definitely knew their names as they came rushing over to wrestle on top of Piper. It seemed as though they were equal opportunity harassers.

As Alex tightened the last bolt of the kennel, she positioned the kennel pad inside. "You know they have to sleep in here Piper. No sneaking them into our bed."

Piper laid on her back with one dog on each arm. "What makes you think I'd do that?" She sat up and the pups ran back over to Alex who just rolled her eyes.

"We need to take them for a vet visit after the holidays. I need to get an idea of how big they might get so that I can get a dog door installed. Meanwhile we are going to have walk them on a regular basis. I expect you to read through that puppy care book by tomorrow!" Alex chuckled as Piper threw the book at her.

* * *

Christmas morning, Piper lazily rolled over to drape her arm across Alex. Her eyes popped open as Alex's side of the bed was empty. A quick feel of the cold bedding let Piper know that Alex hadn't been in bed for quite some time. She threw her legs over the edge of the bed and sat up, pushing her feet into her slippers.

Piper shuffled into the living room and paused at the doorway. She went back to the bedroom and retrieved her phone. Sneaking back into the living room, she snapped a few pictures of Alex stretched out on the couch with two puppies snuggled on her belly. Piper pulled a blanket over her girlfriend and went to make a pot of coffee.

"Merry Christmas Al." Alex grumbled in her sleep as Piper set a cup of coffee beside her head on the coffee table. Piper tucked a pup under each arm and placed them out in the back yard to do their business. Returning to Alex, Piper wafted the smell of fresh brewed coffee beneath Alex's nose. She nudged Alex and said again. "Merry Christmas Al."

Alex grumbled again and shifted her body. As she moved her hands to her sides, her eyes shot open and she looked around the couch frantically. "It's okay Alex. I put them in the yard." Alex set up, rubbing her eyes. "But not before I got some super cute pictures of my girlfriend cuddling with our daughters."

Alex reached for the coffee. "Merry Christmas Pipes."

"What happened to 'they have to sleep in the kennel Piper'?"

Alex grunted. "You didn't hear their pitiful whimpering. I couldn't listen to it any longer."

"Softie."

"If that means not wanting to listen to my new children cry all night, then I'll take that label."

* * *

Breakfast had been consumed by all and the girls were asleep on their pillows. Alex and Piper were seated comfortably on the couch. "I know we …" They both started to speak at the same time. Both laughing, Alex motioned to Piper. "You first babe."

"I know we said only one gift this year, and I presume we each got each other a dog. But I have something else for you."

Alex smiled, "That's okay. I got you else something, too." Alex reached behind the couch and retrieved a tube and offered it to Piper. "Well I didn't actually  _get_  you anything. This is just a suggestion." She got up and pulled Piper over to the kitchen table.

Piper's expression turned curious as she separated the halves of the tube and extracted the rolled paper. Alex held one end down as Piper unfurled the papers. "Al?"

"It's just a suggestion Piper."

"Yeah, but what is it?"

Alex pointed to address printed on the corner of the blueprints. "It's the original plans for that huge, empty house over on Lake Donovan." Piper's still seemed perplexed. "In Key West, we talked about maybe venturing into new things. I thought maybe you might consider a bed and breakfast. This place would be perfect Piper." The excitement on Alex's face was palpable. "Will you at least consider it?"

Piper grinned as she looked over the drawings. "I'd say a bed and breakfast is a definite contender. And I've always loved the architecture of that building. There's only one issue." The smile on Alex's face fell. "Refurbishing that building and getting that business up and running would cost a lot of money." Piper's expression was teasing.

"With how well The Place is doing, I bet we could get a bank to float us a small business …" Piper silenced Alex with a finger to her lips. She slid a manila envelope over to Alex. It was Alex's turn to be puzzled as she pulled out what appeared to be bank statements. She flipped through the papers and looked at Piper cautiously. "Pipes, these are statements for the joint bank account for PA Enterprises. Where did all of this money come from? What did you do?"

Piper glanced at the statements then back up at Alex. "I told you I have invested funds stashed in many places. I simply moved some into this account."

Alex shook her head. "No, Piper, no. That's your money and Sam's. It's not my money. You can't do this."

Piper placed her hand on Alex's and pulled Alex's hand to her lips. "Alex, Sam is gone. You are here and very much alive.  **You**  are my world Alex. And yes I  _can_  do this. I  _did_  do this." She tapped the papers Alex held in her other hand. "And now this is  _our_  money."


	19. More Holiday Happenings

Nikki opened her eyes then squished them shut again. Her bed was empty, and she could hear quite the clatter going on in her small kitchen. Christmas notes were drifting through the door along with Lorna singing right along in her peculiar accent. Even though Nicky could smell the caffeine her veins were so badly jonseing for, she knew she probably should not be getting out of bed. So she simply pulled the duvet over her head and tried to ignore the pull of the coffee she knew was sitting in the kitchen.

Soon Nicky heard a break in the noises from her kitchen and the patter of slippers on the floor. She felt the mattress dip down beside her as Lorna pulled back the duvet. "Wakey, wakey my little elf. I brought you breakfast." Lorna kissed Nicky on the forehead as Nicky stretched her body, yawned and opened her eyes.

"How are you so damned perky in the morning?" Nicky rubbed her eyes. "Wait, you are perky all the time." She pulled herself into a sitting position and spread out the duvet. "What yummies did you bring me?"

Lorna picked up the tray she had set on the bedside table and set it on Nicky's lap. "Wow!" Nicky stared at the plate of food on the tray. There were eggs scrambled with a bit of cream cheese, fresh buttery biscuits, French toast cut into little hearts covered in macerated strawberries in syrup, crispy bacon, a glass of fresh squeezed orange juice, and a large cup of coffee. "Babe, there is enough food here for an army."

Lorna giggled. "Glad I brought two forks then." She settled herself on the other side of the tray. "You can share! Merry Christmas Nicky."

"Merry Christmas Lorna, the mystery woman who is always full of surprises. I can't believe you cooked all of this."

"There's lots about me you have yet to learn."

Nicky chewed and swallowed the French toast she had just shoved into her mouth. "You know, you are right. We've only known each other for a few weeks. I'm looking forward to learning all about you little Ms. Claus."

* * *

Choc nearly pulled Alex off the sidewalk. Piper grasped Alex's hand a little tighter. "You got the wild one Al. Peep here is just a good little girl. Peep you are a good girl. Yes you are."

Alex stopped and gently pulled Choc towards her. She lowered her voice. "Choc, hey girl. Ease up girl." Choc turned her head towards Alex and rushed forward, yanking her once again. "Pipes, I swear she's laughing at me."

They had made a decision to not open the café on Christmas Day, so most of the day was spent relaxing around the house, drinking hot chocolate and playing with the puppies.

* * *

"The girls are taking a nap." Alex wrapped her arms around Piper, kissing her on the neck. "What's my other girl doing?" Alex took a seat next to Piper who had weighted each corner of the blueprints down so it wouldn't roll back into itself. She had her laptop open beside the plans.

"I'm trying to make sense of these blueprints and learn more about this building. I just don't know what I'm doing here Al."

Alex grabbed some small multi-colored sticky flags from the desk and settled next to Piper with a pad of paper. "Let's see… kitchen. This looks like a kitchen area." She tagged it with a blue flag. "Living areas… yellow." Alex peered more closely at the blueprint and tagged what she felt were bedrooms with pink flags and bathrooms with green flags. "I don't know if this is right Piper. These plans are pretty old. From what I can tell, this place has six bedrooms, five bathrooms, and three living areas. Damn."

"At least you were able to decipher it some. I can't find any information on the building. I am going to go to the library tomorrow and do some research."

"You know this house was just a suggestion Pipes. We don't have to jump on the first thing. There is plenty of time to find the perfect place."

"I don't know Alex. I just have a feeling about this one. Apparently you did as well as you found these plans." Piper carefully removed the weights from the papers and gently rolled them back up to place in the tube. "Did I mention how lucky I am to have you as a girlfriend?"

Alex propped her chin on her hands with her elbows on the table. "Not lately." She reached out with her long legs and wrapped them around Piper, pulling her closer.

"You look cold Pipes. Let me warm you up." Alex ran her hands up and down Piper's bare shoulders. "Why you insist on wearing a sleeveless t-shirt in the dead of winter, I'll never know."

Piper moved into Alex, placing her hands on the brunette's silky soft thighs. "You are one to talk Al. You have on boxer shorts."

"Yeah, but I also have on a thermal shirt. Come on." Alex maintained body contact as she stood up and wrapped her arms around Piper's waist. "Let's take this into the living room." Alex pulled a blanket over them both as they snuggled into the couch. "Damn it Piper!" Alex jumped as Piper snuck her ice cold hands beneath Alex's shirt and settled them against her hot skin.

Piper giggled. "You are warm babe."

"Yeah, well I can warm you up." Alex chuckled as she steeled herself against the cold of Piper's hands.

"Oh really now?" Piper's eyes arched upward as she turned her head to look at Alex. She laughed again as Alex flinched as she moved her hands to another warm spot on Alex's belly.

Alex nodded and reached over to whisper. "Make ya sweat."

"I'm thinking so." Piper shivered with her words as Alex moved and the blanket let in some cold air. Piper's eyes then widened as Alex slipped off her thermal shirt and straddled her.

Alex's bare breasts were dimpled in the cold, nipples hardening with frosty air despite the heat rising between their bodies. Her eyes twinkling, Alex mouthed, "Do you now?"

"Mmm maybe." Piper lifted her arms as Alex slipped off her sleeveless shirt.

Alex felt the need to protect Piper's tender skin as removal of the garment left her upper body naked, vulnerable. She laid back on the couch, shifting Piper's body atop hers, so that Piper's cheek were on my breasts, chest against my flannel shorts. Alex pulled the blanket over Piper's shoulders to ensure her warmth and began to gently massage her skull, running her fingers through Piper's hair.

After a while, Alex wriggled around to position herself behind Piper, pressing her breasts against Piper's back. "Your skin is so soft," Alex murmured into Piper's ear as fingers found her nipple. "I'm mesmerized with your body, your flesh, your skin." Piper's breathing deepened, slow and rhythmic. Leaving her breast, Alex ran her hand down Piper's side to her hip. She pulled Piper's ass against her crotch as her nipples hardened even more against Piper's back.

She reached back, her fingers running lightly up Alex's thigh. Grasping her hand, Alex pulled their hands together she roamed Piper's body, feeling her thighs, her stomach, and her breasts. The crisp air seemed turned warm as they almost were to the point of perspiration.

Gently releasing Piper's hand, Alex slid her fingers between Piper's legs, searching for the moisture that she knew awaited. Piper slowly separated her legs. Running her hand back up, it came to rest on Piper's stomach. Alex leaned forward, grasping Piper's earlobe with her teeth, murmuring, "mmmm, do you like this? With you in front of me?" Not waiting for an answer, Alex continued. "I like you in front of me. I can have my way with you."

Piper licked her lips, searching for the moisture that had seemingly traveled to her crotch. She managed a trace whisper. "I like it a lot."

Her whispers silenced as Alex slid her hand back to Piper's hip, to her inner thigh. Piper moved closer as Alex murmured. "Whatcha want baby?" She reached around Piper's head gently to kiss her from afar, running her hand all inside of her thighs, her hips, simply avoiding all of the places Piper might have wanted to be touching.

Pressing her ass even more firmly into Alex's crotch, Piper moved her body in motion with Alex's hand, trying to coax Alex to touch her. Alex obliged, toying momentarily with her wetness, then moving her hand back to Piper's hips and stomach, sucking on her ear, teasing.

Piper drew her lips into her mouth as she bit her lower lip. Alex rubbed her leg hard, firm, reaching between her legs then slid her fingers upward. Alex slowly slipped her fingers into Piper, gently yet deep. Withdrawing her hand, Alex moved her hand back to Piper's stomach and began to suck hungrily on her neck.

Piper turned her body around, her mouth finding Alex, kissing her. Hard. "Fuck baby. What do you want?" Alex growled through the kiss. As Piper picked up the frantic kiss, Alex ran her fingers back through Piper's center. "You are so wet baby." Piper buried her head in Alex's shoulder, biting down as Alex slipped her fingers deep inside Piper.

A faint whimpering was heard coming from the back room. "Alex, fuck me Alex. Please." Piper pressed her fingers into Alex's back, urging her. The whimpers turned louder and quickly turned into howls. Alex paused her movements. "Baby, please. I need you." Alex shook her head and thrust into Piper again. Suddenly there was a loud mournful howl followed by a loud clatter and a crash. Not thinking, Alex quickly removed her fingers from Piper as two rambling puppies came tearing into the living room looking for their moms.

Piper pulled Alex back to her. "For the love of God Alex. Fuck me. Please. I'm begging you."

Alex looked at Piper then looked down to the yellow and brown dogs who were clamoring to get on the couch and licking at Piper's face since that was the one they could reach. "I'm sorry baby. I can't chance it. They aren't house broken yet. Let me take them out. I'll just put them in the yard. I'll be right back. Hold that thought. Stay right there." Alex was rambling as she quickly got off the couch and kissed Piper on the forehead. "Come on girls. Let's go outside. Do you want to go out? Out?" The girls obediently ran off after Alex to the back door.

Piper let out a big sigh as she set up and retrieved her shirt and the blanket from the floor. She pulled on her shirt and wrapped the blanket around her shoulders. "I can't believe I have just been cock blocked by a pair of puppies."


	20. History Lesson

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The past is really almost as much a work of the imagination as the future.  
> ~ Jessamyn West

Alex knew that as soon as she were to go back in, Choc and Peep would be whining, howling even, to get back into the house. "I have got to get a doggy door built and them both trained." Alex muttered to herself as she sat on the back steps at watch the girls play in the grass. Alex's thoughts drifted back to Piper who was hopefully still waiting for her on the couch. It was hard to believe that just a few weeks ago, she had been in incredible agony that Piper had seemingly walked out on her, left her without reason. It was equally difficult for Alex to believe that she had forgiven Piper so easily after hearing the tormented story of Piper's past. Regardless she was quite content – well almost content. She would be much more content if she could have finished what she had just started with Piper.

"Come on girls. You are just playing now. Let's go. I'm going to set your pen and pillows up in the living room under one condition. You can't make a racket! Mom and I have some unfinished business." Alex opened the door and could hear the pup's claws skitter as they slid across the hardwoods in search of Piper. Alex grabbed the collapsible play pen in one hand and both the dogs' pillows in the other. As she went into the living room to set them up, she saw Piper rolled up in a blanket, facing the back of the couch. The puppies were clamoring to get to her and yipping frantically.

Alex spoke softly. "Remember our deal. No noise. She caught the pups and placed them in their pen. "No get comfy and go to sleep." Both the girls settled on their pillows and looked at Alex who put her finger to her lips. "Shhh."

Alex ventured over to the couch and sat next to her girlfriend. She reached over and pulled Piper's hair back and tucked it behind her ear to give her some skin to work with. Leaning over, Alex kissed behind Piper's ear and down her jawline. Piper was firmly rolled in the blanket, so Alex could only run her hand down Piper's body outside the blanket. "Pipes," Alex whispered. "I'm back. Did you miss me?" Piper simply grunted. "Pipes why did you roll yourself up like a burrito in the blanket?"

"No burrito," Piper slurred sleepily. "Sushi roll."

Alex chuckled. "Sushi roll, huh? You definitely are rolled up tight." Alex gently sucked on Piper's earlobe. "How about I unroll you and we pick back off before our daughters so rudely interrupted us?" As Alex began to try to take the blanket off, she realized that Piper wasn't just wrapped in it, she was literally rolled up tight – just like a piece of sushi.

"No." Piper wiggled further into the back of the couch. "Sushi roll stays intact." Piper's voice wasn't grumpy yet she was quite adamant.

Alex rolled her eyes and kissed the only bit of bare skin she could find on Piper's neck. "Baby… come on." Alex made an attempt to unwrap the cocoon known as Piper.

"No."

Alex huffed her displeasure and looked at the dogs who were both sitting up staring. She shook her finger at them. "You two caused this." Choc simply panted with her tongue out while Peep flopped back down on the pillow. Alex knew she probably wouldn't get anywhere with Piper, so she picked up her beloved sushi roll and took her to bed.

* * *

Bright and early the next morning, Piper readied herself to go to the library to research on the house that belonged to the blueprints Alex had given her for Christmas. Alex had made an early vet appointment. After a few quick cups of coffee and some toast, each went their separate way.

Luckily for Alex, Choc and Peep traveled well. They were still small enough to fit into one kennel so they wouldn't bounce around the Jeep if Alex had to slam on the brakes quickly. When she arrived, she snapped their leashes on and lifted them to the ground. As normal, Peep stayed close by Alex's heels while Choc pulled Alex every which way.

Alex filled out the intake paperwork and waited to be called back to an examination room. Soon the receptionist started giggling and soon was outright laughing. She looked over at Alex and slapped her hand over her mouth. "Ms. Vause, I am so sorry. But seriously, Peep and Chocolate Easter Bunny? Who names their puppies that, especially around Christmas time?"

"A friend with a very cruel sense of humor, that's who." Alex laughed along with the receptionist. She filled her in on Nicky's trick that ended up sticking with the dogs.

The appointment did not take long as the shelter had ensured that the dogs were up to date on their shots and essential vet care prior to being adopted. Alex and Piper had simply wanted to get the dogs established at a clinic as well as maybe find out how large they might become. The doctor estimated that they might grow up to 45 pounds but certainly not more than that given their length. However this did give Alex an idea on how large she needed to make the doggy door leading to the backyard.

Alex dropped the pups off for their first extended stay at the house alone and just prayed they did not escape their enclosure as they had the previous night when they so rudely interrupted Piper and her. She gave them both a peanut butter treat filled Kong toy to help keep them distracted.

* * *

"What the fuck?" Alex halted right inside the door of the café. Boo and Nicky froze, looking over their shoulders at Alex. "What are you two doing?" Nicky lowered the drill she was holding as a wrench clattered from Boo's hand to the ground. Both sheepishly stepped down from their step ladders and grinned sheepishly at Alex.

Boo bent down to pick up her wrench. "Well boss, it goes like this. We made another executive decision." Nicky nodded and jokingly squeezed the trigger on the drill to add a little noise to the mix. "See, my cousin…"

"You mean Lorna."

"Yeah, Lorna. She, ummmmm, was in New Orleans around this time last year. Some places have a pretty interesting tradition. We thought we might try it here at The Place." A customer came in and Nicky rushed to help the customer, leaving Boo to stumble over the explanation alone. "Yeah, well they leave the Christmas trees up just about year 'round and just decorate them for different holidays. You know – Valentine's Day, Mardi Gras – you know."

Alex kept her face neutral. "I don't know, but go on."

Boo motioned around. "We can't exactly afford to give up floor space to a tree. So we thought we would hang one upside down. It would be really cool looking. We all can take turns decorating it. If it doesn't work, we can just take it down."

Alex was quiet for a moment, mulling her options. "So you and Nicky just decided that's what you would do, huh?"

"Ummmm yeah." Boo was getting antsy, especially since Nicky had left her to take the heat.

Alex slowly nodded. "Okay. Let's try it. But – one question – what makes you two so sure that that tree won't come crashing down as soon as you bolt it to the ceiling?" About this time, Nicky came waltzing back over.

"Luck?"

"Fuck Nichols. No. If you two really want to try this, let's do it right."

Alex had stopped by the pet store and hardware store in preparation for installing the dog door at the house later. So there were supplies and tools in her Jeep. She went to gather what she needed and returned inside to start working.

* * *

Piper's eyes about popped out of her head when she saw Alex through the café window. Alex was wearing skin tight blue jeans, a thermal shirt, and had a tool belt slung low over her hips. Fucking HOT. For some reason, she also had on a pair of safety goggles which decreased the hotness level some and was standing on a ladder with Boo on another step stool beside her. Piper quietly slipped in and simply observed her increasingly sexy girlfriend.

"See the light?" Alex motioned to the green light on the small device she held. "That means you've found a stud. I think that after a few tries, we can determine what best to bolt in the steel plate to hold the tree in place." She checked a few more places and then took the plate from Boo, marking four holes indicating where holes should be drilled. "I'm going to use a quarter inch bit and make about an inch deep pilot hole." Alex drilled the first hole then handed the drill off to Boo to make the remaining three.

Looking towards the door, Alex saw Piper and broke out with a wide smile. "Hey Pipes. I didn't realize you were coming by." She crawled off the ladder and strode over to embrace Piper. "Did you have luck at the library?"

Piper's eyes lit up. "Did I ever?! Wait until you see what I uncovered. But first, why are you wearing that sexy ass tool belt and why is Boo drilling holes in our ceiling?"

Alex gave a deep chuckle. "All in due time Pipes. But for now, just go with it." Alex unbuckled the tool belt and slung it over Nicky's shoulder. "You have been promoted to destruction assistant. Let me know if you two have questions."

"You got it boss." Nicky belted on Alex's tool belt and strutted over to the ladder.

Alex and Piper went to a back booth where a very enthusiastic Piper pulled out some papers from her briefcase and spread them on the table. They were copies of old microfiche film she had obtained from the library. Alex gave the copies a cursory glance and saw they were a combination of plat records, official documents, and newspaper articles. "So?" Alex raised an eyebrow at Piper who could hardly sit still.

"Alex. You are not going to believe this."

"I came in today to find two of our 'co-owners' about to hang an upside down Christmas tree in the café. Try me." Alex loved seeing Piper this excited. Her eyes became an even brighter blue than normal.

"Okay." Piper spread out a small map of the current town of Donovan. Donovan started out as a piece of land owned by a widow named Mrs. Suzanna P. Donovan. In the year 1880, the International and Great Northern Railroad funded the expansion of the railroad track from Chicago to Cleveland. This expansion gave Mrs. Donovan's land potential and she started working on a plan to plat the land as a city." Piper pushed forward the copies of the original plats for the town.

"In 1882 the town of Donovan was established and plots of land were sold. The railroads eventually created a rail stop in Donovan which led to the town getting a post office, a spike in population growth and businesses. Donovan soon gained a reputation as a popular eating and rest stop for rail travelers."

Piper thumbed through some official looking documents. Tapping on one, she said, "Here. This is the house on the lake. It was known as Donovan Manor. It belonged to Suzanna. The rail stop was not too far from the manor. Newspaper articles suggest that after Donovan was established that Suzanna opened her home as a boarding house and dining establishment for travelers. She and another widow…" Piper checked an article, "Mary Atkins, ran the establishment."

Piper sat back with a look of glee on her face. Apparently the expression on Alex's face was one of confusion. "Alex… Don't you get it?" Alex shook her head. "Al, I think this house used to belong to the founder of Donovan. THIS is the house. We have to get it. I mean, since the death of the railroad, Donovan has turned into a sleepy town, but The Place has shown that it's not dead and definitely has potential to support new businesses."

Alex shuffled through the papers some more, taking some time to read through some of the newspaper articles. She chuckled. "Two widows taking up house together, one hundred fifty years ago, huh? What are the odds? I suppose you can find out who owns the property?"

Piper's beaming smile gave Alex her answer immediately. "Yup. She slid another paper over to Alex. Mandy Griffith, Suzanna's granddaughter who happens to live in Drewton."

"You really want this, don't you babe?" Alex reached over and squeezed Piper's hand. Piper nodded her head excitedly. "Okay then, do you think you can get hold of her so we can go see if she's interested to sell?" Piper nodded again. "Let's do it then Pipes. It's your show."

Piper grinned sheepishly. "Tomorrow."

"What?"

"I got in touch with Mandy's son. We are meeting with her tomorrow at 2 pm."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I wrote this, I wasn't quite sure of my intentions. I think I wanted Piper to be able to build on the history so she can have some kind of an anchor to fill in for the tragedy of her personal past.


	21. More History - or - Puppy Blocked AGAIN

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The best moments in reading are when you come across something – a thought, a feeling, a way of looking at things – which you had thought special and particular to you. Now here it is, set down by someone else, a person you have never met, someone even who is long dead. And it is as if a hand has come out and taken yours.  
> ― Alan Bennett, The History Boys

"Fuck!" Alex stumbled backwards as she tried to stand up under the weight of her tool belt. She dropped the reciprocating saw onto the floor beside the back door and undid the buckle of the wide belt. Resisting the urge to throw the heavy, tool laden belt, she dropped it next to the saw. "Damn it all to hell." Alex looked at the rectangular hole she had managed to cut in the wall of the house.

Hearing the commotion, Piper wandered into the back room. Deciding to ignore the outburst she heard, Piper wrapped her arms around Alex's waist. "Looking good babe." Alex huffed in displeasure. "It's a hole, Al. It's progress!"

"It's crooked as fuck. I should have hired someone but I couldn't find anyone that was working this week during the holidays. I'm not waiting another day without these dogs not having a way to let themselves out!" Alex relaxed some as Piper reached up and kissed Alex's jawline. "I'm sorry I've jacked up the wall."

Piper snickered. "I'm sure once we get the framing around it and the rest screwed in, nobody will know any difference."

" _We?_  What's this  _we_  business?" Alex dipped her head down to kiss Piper.

"Yeah, we. I've been keeping the girls out of your hair! Doesn't that count?" Piper slid her hands down to Alex's hips and tilted her head sideways.

"Speaking of the brats, where are they? Sleeping?" Piper nodded as she pressed her lips against Alex's. Alex turned Piper around, pressed her against the door, and ran her mouth down Piper's neck. "How long do you think we have?"

"Hmmm." Piper couldn't seem to find her words as both Alex's hands gripped Piper's breasts. Piper reached for the button on Alex's jeans.

Alex stopped Piper's motion. "Mmmm no Pipes. I believe I have a task to finish that I started last night." Alex slipped her hands under Piper's shirt and slipped it over head, sliding her hands back up, finding a nipple with one hand and gliding the other across Piper's now bare stomach to her sweatpants. She made fast work of the drawstring, allowing Piper's pants to drop to the floor and pushing her panties down to slip to the ground as well.

Alex dipped her head from Piper's neck and found the other nipple with her mouth. Piper moaned as she rubbed her naked crotch against Alex's jeans. Piper whimpered as Alex's mouth left her breast and ventured back up to her chest to her throat to her chin. "Shhhhh," Alex whispered as she smothered Piper's mouth with her own. "Don't wake the girls." Her tongue pressed against Piper's frantic one. Alex whispered into Piper's mouth through their kiss, "What do you want baby?" She pressed her leg into Piper's bare crotch, knowing her jeans were becoming soaked.

Piper didn't answer, only ran her fingers through Alex's long, dark hair, pulling her mouth closer to hers. Alex slid her tongue back down Piper's shoulders and chest before tapping her tongue against Piper's nipple and sucking it hungrily into her mouth. It was evident that Piper was struggling to keep quiet as Alex slid her leg upwards, harder against Piper's center.

Knowing their time was possibly limited, Alex reached down with her hand and quickly found Piper's wetness. Despite the weak feeling in her own knees, Alex knew she had to stay upright if she was going to have Piper tonight. Her fingers quickly found Piper's clit, pressing it gently, mesmerized by the swollen size. She began making slow, deliberate circles around Piper's center and allowed her fingers to quickly become coated with the juices dripping from her body.

Moving back up her body to kiss her, Alex wasted no time in slipping two fingers into Piper. Reaching even deeper into her body with every kiss, Alex ached to crawl inside. "You feel so good Pipes. How did you get so wet, so fast?"

Piper's breath was becoming heavy, labored. "Uhhhh, last night? Gawd Alex, I've thought of you all day." Piper's kisses were frantic, showing her ache, her desire. This drove Alex to quicken her motions to an almost fevered pace. It didn't take long before Piper's body began to stiffen, her walls tightening around Alex's fingers. Alex ducked her head down to again suckle Piper's breast and then left a trail of kisses as she moved lower.

Piper moaned in anticipation as Alex landed on her knees and her tongue found Piper's clit. Slowing the movement of her hand, Alex brought her down slowly so that she could enjoy bringing her up again. Alex's fingers remained pressed inside Piper's body, moving in pace with her tongue stroking Piper's clit. Alex briefly paused, resting her chin on her hand and stilling her fingers which had been moving in and out of Piper's body. Looking up, she found Piper's wide eyes staring down at her. "Do you want me to stop?" Alex's green eyes were twinkling, teasing as she questioned.

Her voice was a mere whimper. "Please no."

Alex replaced her fingers with her tongue and stretched deep within Piper's body as she moaned. Sucking in her juices, the strokes were slow and long. Alex's long fingers traced Piper's swollen clit with at a slow, wicked pace. Without warning, Alex plunged her fingers back into Piper. Sweat was beading on Alex's neck as she thrust in and out of Piper. Alex was pumping so quickly and deeply that Piper's body was lifted with each stroke. Her back arched as Alex continued to churn against her once again building orgasm. Alex refused to relent even as Piper's muscles clenched tightly around her fingers. Not slowing down, she found some way to move faster yet. Alex laid her head on Piper's stomach as Piper's hips with Alex, forcing Alex harder into her with every stroke. Alex pulled further out each time simply so she could go back in deeper.

Piper could keep quiet no more and began to moan loudly and call out Alex's name as her body was pushed over the brink again and again. Alex found Piper's clit with her other hand and ensured that Piper's body continued to quiver and shake. Piper's body shook uncontrollably as screams escaped her body. Her fingers were entangled in Alex's hair as her body gave one last orgasm. Piper sank to her knees. "I can't baby. Stop. I can't handle anymore."

Piper's body twitched as Alex gently removed herself from inside Piper. Wrapping her arms around Piper, she kissed her firmly on her head. Piper began to giggle. "What's so funny babe?"

"Well first of all, I'm fully naked and you are fully dressed. Secondly, with all that noise I made, the girls are still asleep."

Alex gave a low chuckle and pulled them both to their feet. Without warning, she swooped Piper off her feet and quietly made her way through the living room to the bedroom and placed Piper in bed, covering her with the duvet. "What about that big hole in the wall?" Piper was still giggly.

Alex shed her clothes and crawled under the covers with Piper, pressing her now naked body against her girlfriend's. "I'll take care of it tomorrow. Meanwhile, I have something you need to take care of." She rolled on top of Piper, grabbed Piper's hand and moved it to her crotch.

About that time, a whimper followed by a howl came from the living room. Alex fell back onto the bed. "FUCK!"

* * *

After Alex finished the dog door the next morning, she and Piper got on opposite sides of the wall. They took turns calling the puppies and leading them through the door with treats. Peep and Choc caught on rather quickly. Their biggest problem was when they tried to fit through the door at the same time which was quite humorous. Luckily the door was adult Dachador size and they were still puppy size, so there was no worry that Piper and Alex would come home to stuck pups! But soon the girls realized that they could be outside and play anytime they wanted. So they seemed happy enough.

Piper and Alex returned to the kitchen to finish off the pot of coffee from breakfast. "So what do you think?" Piper asked Alex. "Do you think this will help our problem?"

Alex shook her head. "Fuck I sure hope so. I love the little boogers, but they sure are putting a dent in my sex life!"

Piper laughed. "Well maybe we'll make Nicky babysit them sometime soon. It's her fault we have two puppies anyway."

* * *

Piper and Alex were perched on an over-sized stuffed couch, with a large print paisley slip-cover. Piper took a sip of her tea and placed it on the coffee table. "Thank you for seeing us Mrs. Griffith."

The gray haired woman in the chair across from the pair replied, "Oh no dear. It's Ms. Griffith. But call me Amanda or Mandy, please. I insist."

Piper smiled sweetly. "Miss Amanda it is. I understand that you hold the deed to Donovan Manor, your grandmother's house on Lake Donovan."

"Oh no dear, that house belonged to my great grandmother, Suzanna. Her granddaughter was my mother." The woman pushed a plate of cookies towards the woman, eyeing Alex. "Eat up child. You look too skinny." The elderly woman laughed at herself. Alex obediently picked up a cookie and nibbled the edge. This was her fourth cookie so she had to make this one last.

Piper continued. "I have lived in Donovan for a little over a year now and spend a lot of time at the lake. I love the architecture of the house, and I've done a bit of research on it. I wondered what you could tell me that the public library can't."

Mandy's eyes brightened. "Yes, well as I said, the house originally belonged to my great grandmother Suzanna. Her husband passed at a young age, before the railroad came into town. He left her a young daughter and a sizable piece of land as he planned to be a cattle rancher and needed grazing fields." Her eyes shifted to Alex to ensure she was still eating.

Piper spoke up. "I understand that Suzanna divided her land into plots, laying out the town we know now as Donovan. She sold the plots but kept her original house as well as some sizable plots around the lake."

Mandy nodded. "You did indeed do your research. Not many know all of that."

Piper smiled at her. "How did you come to be the deed holder?"

Mandy's eyes had a far-away look in them. She was silent for a while before she spoke. "Tradition has been that the property be passed down to the eldest daughter in the Donovan bloodline." The quietness that came next was palpable. When she spoke next, her voice was barely audible. "But that tradition ends with me."

Piper and Alex looked at each other with puzzled faces.

"I do not have a living daughter. I only have one son. I fear he's not interested in that creaky old house. He's been trying to get me to sign it over to him, I imagine to sell to fancy developers who will tear down my family's last memorial to the woman who built Donovan without the help of any man." Mandy's eyes were glistening as tears threatened to form.

Piper knew she had to steer this conversation in a different direction. She was searching for what to say when Alex spoke up. "Tell us about your great grandmother. Suzanna. She sounds like she was a special woman. What do you know of her?"

"My mother used to tell me stories about her all the time." Mandy perked up quickly. "She also told me stories that her mama told her. She talked about Grandma Suzanna – how kind she was and loving and never knew a stranger. Once she and Aunt Mary opened the boarding house, the poor people never went hungry. Aunt Mary would cook too much dinner on purpose so she'd have food left over to feed those who didn't have enough."

Alex looked at Piper knowingly. "Aunt Mary? So your great grandmother had a sister?"

Mandy giggled and blushed slightly. "I know Grandma Suzanna did not have a sister. My mother said that her mother was simply told to call her Aunt Mary and that was that." Mandy winked at Alex. "I may be 71 years old missy, but I'm sure we all understand the situation between those two... unwed women living together and all." Now it was time for Alex to flush red.

Piper and Alex visited with Mandy for quite some time, hearing all sorts of stories about her great grandmother as well as the manor and unknown history of Donovan.

* * *

All three women were startled at a deep voice which came booming from the doorway. "You two dykes will never get her to sell that house. It stays in the family and is my birthright."

"TOM!" Mandy was shocked and quite embarrassed. "Tom what a horrible thing for you to say to these nice ladies. And we've talked about this many times. That house is NOT your birthright. It is my property and I will do with it as I see fit." Turning to Piper and Alex, she said, "Please excuse my son. He has no manners whatsoever."

Despite his mother words, Tom continued. "The only reason she was willing to even see you today and has allowed you to stay so long is because she's a lonely old broad. Do you know how many people she's done this to? She has no interested in selling you that property, so why don't you leave?"

At this, Alex stood and went to face Tom. She was easily four inches taller than him. While she had dressed conservatively today, she had an air of confidence about her that made power exude from her very pores. "I can understand you calling my girlfriend and me names, but what I don't understand is why you disrespect your mother who is obviously a kind and gentle soul. Surely she did not raise you to act like this." Alex glared at Tom, not breaking eye contact. She then stepped forward, invading his personal space and he immediately stepped back. Glaring at Alex, he took a last look at his mother and stormed out of the house.

Alex took a moment settled her nerves and turned around to smile at Mandy. She took a step towards the coffee table. "Would you like some more tea Ms. Griffith?"

"I've told you, it's Mandy." Her voice was shaking but her hands were steady as she accepted the freshly filled tea cup from Alex. "I don't know what's come over my Tom this last year. He's become more and more insistent that I immediately sign over the deed to Donovan Manor to him since he's my only remaining child. He presumes he's going to inherit it." She took a deep breath. "Frankly I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it. So in the meantime, I choose to do nothing."

Piper thought for a moment to carefully choose her words. "Do you think your son is desperate for money? Is he into drugs or gambling?"

Mandy shook her head. "My Tom would never do drugs. That I'm sure of. He has two lovely children and would not put his relationship with them in jeopardy. His job and his family doesn't give him time to gamble."

"How's his financial situation, if I may ask? His anger has to come from somewhere. Maybe it's desperation." Alex leaned forward as she was thinking through ideas.

"There could be something to that Alex. I know last year his contracting business fell on hard times. One of his subcontractors really messed up a job and landed him into some legal trouble and ruined his reputation. But Tom has never been one to burden me with his problems." Alex made a mental note to do her own research on Tom and see if she could get to the bottom of his issues with his mother.

* * *

"Miss Amanda." Piper took a deep breath before she plunged into the reason they had spent the afternoon visiting with the elderly woman. "Alex and I both have enjoyed visiting with you a great deal. We truly wanted to find out more about Donovan Manor and your family history. But your son was right about one thing, we are also interested in purchasing your property."

Mandy's eyes grew wide and her hands shook as she placed her empty teacup on the table. Piper went over to Mandy's chair and crouched beside her, placing a calming hand on Mandy's shaking ones. "Before you kick us out of your house, will you listen to our plans?" Mandy looked into Piper's calm eyes and nodded her head slightly. "We have no intention of tearing your house down. My girlfriend gave me a copy of the original blueprints for Christmas. I did as much research as I could at the public library and was convinced that the manor belonged to the founding family of our town." Mandy nodded.

"We own a café in downtown Donovan and are looking to expand our repertoire to include a bed and breakfast. Your manor would be a perfect house and it's in a perfect location. We would restore the house back to its original glory as best as we can and open it back up much as your Grandma Suzanna and Aunt Mary did."

Mandy's eyes were glistening again but this time the tears forming were those of joy. "I… I don't know what to say." She turned her hands over to squeeze Piper's.

"You don't have to say anything Miss Amanda. Just think about it. That's all I'm asking. We would get it properly appraised and offer you a fair price with many safeguards built into the contract that we are going to do with the property as we say we will."

Mandy stood and motioned both women over to her and wrapped her arms around them both. "Oh honeys, you have no idea how happy you have made this old woman. Yes, I will think about it."

After visiting a little longer, Piper and Alex excused themselves to get back to the café. Mandy pressed one last cookie into Alex's hand. "Will you come back to visit?"

Piper nodded. "Of course Miss Amanda. We love visiting with you. Maybe you'd like to go with us one day into Donovan and take a look around to see how things have changed."

"Oh dear, I'd rather like that Piper." Mandy stood at her doorstep and waved to Alex and Piper as they walked to their car. Right as they were about to get in, she called out. "Piper?" Piper turned and looked at Mandy. "What will you call it?"

Piper smiled softly. "We are debating on two names. The one that is coming out on top right now," she looked at Alex who nodded, "is 'Founder's Inn'."


	22. Darkness Brings Desperate Measures

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning – possible suicide trigger  
> ____________________________________________
> 
> "Cries for help are frequently inaudible."  
> ― Tom Robbins, Even Cowgirls Get the Blues

Alex reached over and grabbed Piper's hand as they left Amanda's house. Her voice was quiet as she squeezed the blonde's hand. "I think that went better than expected." 

"Did you miss Tom coming in?" Piper tried to keep the sarcasm out of her voice.

"I think there is something more in play here that we don't know. When I stood up and faced him head on, he had a different look in his eyes – desperation maybe? I'm going to look into what Amanda said about his company and perhaps try to talk to him." Alex pulled into the parking lot of The Place. "Ready to get back to the real world?"

Piper nodded as she released her seat belt and got out of the car.

Nicky was sitting in the back corner, boxing up the Christmas tree that had been hanging upside down when Alex left the day before. "Nicky – what the fuck now?" Alex's disgust was evident in her voice. "What are you doing?"

"Lorna said it was stupid." Nicky forced the last fake evergreen branch into the box and taped it shut. "So I took it down."

"But wasn't the tree her idea?" Alex was shaking her head.

Nicky got to her feet and ran her fingers through her mane of hair. "That's what I thought. But Lorna came in this morning and said that what she had told me about was mostly a Mardi Gras tradition. Mardi Gras isn't exactly celebrated up north and that maybe Donovan isn't the place to try to start the movement. So I took it down." Nicky kicked the box. "I'll just put this in the storeroom with the other Christmas decorations."

Meanwhile Boo had come out of the back with a smirk on her face. "Sorry boss. I hope we didn't mess the ceiling up too much."

Alex raised her hands, palms up questionably, and shrugged her shoulders. "Hey you guys can make decisions on your own. But you know, you can still run stuff by me or Piper as well if you think it might be a debatable decision. Just consider this one of those lessons learned the hard way."

* * *

The week between Christmas and New Year's seemed almost awkward at The Place. People were off of their regular work schedules. Many of their regular customers came in, just not at their typical hours. There were a lot more people using the café as a hang-out place, drinking copious amounts of coffee and going through pastries like crazy. Celeste asked the employees to bring in old board games and decks of cards to leave around the café. The customers gravitated to the games and stayed longer. While there were free refills on plain coffee, many of the game players did not drink regular coffee. So the specialty brews kept the cash register ringing.

After an analysis of busy and lull times, Celeste determined the times of day when business was the slowest and offered specialty drink specials during those times to encourage people to hang out longer and take advantage of the games. Towards closing time, she also put a two for one price on pastries which was better than the day old prices the following day. Alex and Piper both liked the initiative Celeste was taking, especially since her ideas were remarkably better than Boo and Nicky's.

* * *

The day before New Year's Eve, Alex and Piper both happened to be at the café visiting with the employees. Conversation ensued around plans everyone had for the big night. Celeste and Boo were headed to the bar, of course. "I think Piper and I are going to stay in and have a nice quiet evening at home. Last year there were fireworks around the neighborhood and we don't want the pups to freak out." Alex leaned against the front counter. "Nicky, what about you? Have you made plans with Lorna?"

Nicky rolled her eyes. "Plans? With Lorna? She won't let me! It's some big secret. All I know is that I have to dress nice." Boo scoffed at that comment.

Alex chuckled. "I would have never imagined you letting someone else call the shots Nic."

"What can I say; she's very persuasive." Nicky wriggled her eyebrows as she went on to tell them about the breakfast Lorna had served her in bed on Christmas morning. "That woman has more skills than I know what to do with. You should have seen all the food." Nicky pulled out her phone and flipped through the pictures of all of the dishes in various stages of consumption.

Alex looked at Piper and raised her eyebrows. Without saying anything to the rest of the group who continued to talk, Piper slipped away and went over to Lorna who was sitting in the back booth with what looked like scrapbooking materials spread all over the table. "Do you need more coffee Lorna?" Piper asked before sitting down.

Lorna was slightly startled before speaking. "Oh no Piper. Thank you. I feel bad for taking up one of your tables." She tried to straighten the mass of items in front of her.

Piper slid into the seat across from Lorna. "Oh don't worry about it. I know you are Nicky's girlfriend and all, but you are also a customer." She tried to take in all of what was in front of Lorna. There were cloth swatches, pictures of furniture, paint chips, catalogs and more. But being nosy, that's not what Piper came over here for. "Lorna, Nicky was just telling us about the breakfast that you cooked her for Christmas morning."

"Oh yeah. That. That was so much fun." Lorna launched into an explicit explanation of what all she made for their breakfast, even down to the tray decorations. "I love doing stuff like that. Cooking is therapeutic for me."

"Do you cook things other than breakfast?" Piper was trying to keep calm, not letting her excitement show.

"Oh yeah. I love to cook just about any meal. I like to think I'm creative, with my job and all." Lorna lowered her voice. "I have a big surprise for Nicky tomorrow night. I'm going to have her dress up like she's going to a fancy restaurant. Then I'm going to surprise her with dinner. I have it all planned out."

Piper smiled. Lorna was indeed just what Nicky needed. But something Lorna said made Piper realize that she knew very little about Lorna. "Lorna, what exactly do you do?"

"Oh I dabble a little in lots of things. Mostly I do interior design projects." She pushed the book she was working on over to the center of the table and flipped through some of the pages. "See this is my idea book for a client that I'm working with in Cleveland."

"I wouldn't think there was a large draw for interior design in this area. What made you move to Donovan?"

Lorna giggled. "I can work from anywhere. I exchange ideas with most of my clients through e-mail and online meetings. Then when the idea book is more finalized, I can travel to them. I moved here because of Carrie. She has lived here five or six years now and loves it. So why not? I like Carrie. She's my favorite cousin and has always been supportive of me."

"Well Lorna I don't want to keep you from your work, but after the New Year, maybe we can set some time up between Alex, myself, and you. I think we might have a proposition for you." Piper pushed the ideas book back to Lorna. "Gorgeous work Lorna. Beautiful indeed."

Piper wondered back over to the crew. Alex looked at her questioningly. Piper gave a discreet thumbs up and simply mouthed, 'I'll talk to you at home."

* * *

Alex had done as she told Piper she would and spent some time researching Tom's contracting business. It seemed as though he had been embroiled in legal battles for the most part of the last year. From what she could tell, one of his subcontractors took quite a large cash advance on a job and absconded with the money. Workers were left unpaid and the job was only partially completed and with shoddy materials to boot. Despite Tom's efforts to make things right with his bonding insurance and regular insurance, things had not been settled. The customer had been going after Tom and his company rather than the subcontractor. The negative reviews online and word of mouth had damaged Tom's previously excellent reputation. Many other customers had bailed on him, leaving him unable to pay his employees or find new business.

Alex decided that maybe a visit to Tom might help clear the air some as she and Piper had another visit scheduled with his mother after the New Year to bring her into Donovan to see old Donovan Manor again and to show her their café. They wanted to begin to build additional trust with Amanda. As well Piper wanted to hear more history about the town.

Unable to reach anyone at Tom's office number, Alex decided to just drive by the address she had found for his permanent office in hopes she could catch him. As she pushed the door open, the receptionist desk sat empty. "Is anybody here?" Alex called out so as to not startle anyone who didn't hear the bells on the door jangle when she entered.

After waiting a few minutes, it was evident nobody was coming to the front to greet her. Alex cautiously walked towards the interior of the office, continuing to call out. She heard a chair scrape in the room to her left, so she headed that direction in hopes of finding someone who could direct her to Tom.

"Hello? I'm looking for Tom. Is anyone here?

As Alex walked quietly back, her attention was drawn to another faint sound she could hear in the distance. She stopped herself as she registered the sound, confused at what she thought she could be hearing. Sobbing? Curious, she edged further following the direction of the sound as she made her way to the side office. Standing in front of an open door, the sobs were louder. Cautiously peering around the door, she was greeted with the presence of a man sitting at a desk with his back to the door. Unsure on what to do, she tapped faintly on the door frame making her presence known. Nothing in response. "Tom?" There was no movement from the person sitting at the desk, "Tom?" trying another time as she made her voice louder, the chair swiveled around furiously as he looked up to her.

Alex's eyes instantly darted to the gun that he held within his hands. Startled, her body automatically jumped back and her hands moved in front of her in fear. She looked between the gun and Tom. His eyes were bloodshot, filled with sorrow and hurt. But the gun… the gun caused Alex to fear for her safety. Debating her next words, she took a step of bravery, moving into the room. Her eyes were fixed on the gun the whole time as she spoke calmly, "Tom. Hey."

She was cut short as her eyes followed Tom's movement, as he raised the gun in front of him. Pointing it at the direction of Alex, she froze on the spot, flinching at the sudden movement. She took a deep breath. "Tom. You don't want to do that."

"What do you want? Who are you?" As he spoke he held the gun pointing to Alex has he moved to stand on his feet. Edging closer, "You. You were the dyke at my mother's house." Another step closer, and Alex could feel her nerves increasing, but needing to act calmly and bravely, she chose to not retaliate. But to try and talk her way out of this.

"Yes." She inhaled a breath, trying to stop her voice from shaking. She closed her eyes as she stepped towards him. "Why don't you put the gun down and talk about this? Anything. Ask me anything."

He shook his head. "No. You." Stepping forward as he pressed the gun into Alex. "Everything." His fingers clasped around the trigger, as he remained focused on Alex. Looking at her dead in the eyes as his own filled with tears. "Ruined. Everything is ruined."

"Tom. Please. Put the gun down. Me. Piper and I, it's not what it seems. We are…"

"My reputation. My business." His voice increased as he started to cry again, pushing the gun into Alex's stomach so that he knocked them both off balance. "My family. Everything." His eyes glazed, as he kept the gun on Alex.

She flinched at the movement, steadying herself as she took a step back from him. As she shook her head to protest, he turned his back to her. He walked back to the desk where he took a drink and slammed the glass down, spilling the last bit of liquid on the papers. Alex stood on the spot, lost for words. Not wanting to provoke him as she searched for her next move, she feared that she was again at risk when he turned back around to face her. Wiping his hand across his mouth, he continued to cry for help. The gun once again was raised back in Alex's direction, and then to himself. As he held the gun to his head, Alex knew that she had to act quickly since she couldn't bear for this to end badly. "Tom. Please. Put the gun down and let's talk. I'm here to help, not as an enemy."

"I want out. I have ruined my life. Failed my family. And you. Why do you get everything? Who do you think you are, coming into my mother's life and taking my fortune? If I can't have it, then you can't either!"

Within a blink, the gun was pointing back at Alex as he applied further pressure to the trigger. "This." He used his other hand to motion between himself and Alex, the gun wavering between the two as well as his eyes filled with emptiness. "This is the easy way out. There is no escaping." His finger trembled as he applied more pressure against the trigger. Alex's eyes darted between the barrel of gun and the movement of his finger. She quickly calculated how far he was away. There was not much pull left in the trigger before the hammer would fall. Alex's hand instantly reached out for the gun as the room was filled with a loud deafening muzzle blast. Alex's body fell upon his as the smoke from the powder curled in the air.


	23. New Year's Eve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope smiles from the threshold of the year to come, whispering, 'It will be happier.'  
> ~ Alfred Lord Tennyson

Alex instinctively reached for the gun in Tom's hand. She dropped her shoulder and nailed him in the chest as the gun went off, the ringing sound echoing off surfaces in the room. Her body collapsed atop his as the smell of gun powder lingered in the air. Stillness.

After a few moments, there was slight movement, moaning. Alex rolled off of Tom, sat up and pressed her palms to her ears in hopes the pressure would alleviate the eeeeEEEEEEeeeee buzzing sound in her ear. "Fuck." She sat up and looked over at Tom who seemed to be in a trance. There was no visible blood, so her immediate concern was to secure the pistol. She crawled over to where the gun had landed and ejected the magazine. She used the slide to eject the cartridges in the chamber. She pocketed the unspent cartridges and slipped the gun in her back waist band.

Using the edge of the desk, Alex pulled herself to her feet. She stood above Tom who still was not responding. She gently nudged him with her foot. He opened his eyes and stared at her blankly. Alex squatted down and offered her hand to him. "Come on brother. Let's get you up off that floor." He accepted her help in sitting up and then she assisted him in moving to the office couch. Tom didn't seem to be going anywhere, so Alex wandered around the office in search of a breakroom. She returned with two bottles of water. Twisting one open, she handed it to Tom and took a seat next to him.

"Hey." Despite her nerves, Alex was trying to keep her voice low and calm. "Tom." She placed her arm on his shoulder. "Look at me Tom." Tom lifted his head and looked at Alex with dead eyes. "I am not sure what all you are going through, but whatever it is… we can get past this. I promise. I want to help you Tom. You have a family who loves you, so let's think about them."

"You don't even know me."

"It doesn't matter Tom. Nothing is ever so bad that there is no way out. Ever."

"I don't even know your name."

"Alex. Alex Vause." The two sat in the office a little longer. Alex extracted a promise from Tom that he would not try to harm himself again. In exchange, she would not tell his mother or wife about what happened. "I'm keeping this gun for now though, until I'm sure I can trust you to keep my word."

As Alex readied to leave, Tom got up to walk her to the door. "Thanks Alex. I don't know why you bothered to save me today, but thank you." Alex stretched her hand out to shake. Tom surprised her by pulling her into a hug. "I mean it Alex. Thank you."

Alex sat in her Jeep a few minutes to collect her thoughts and settle her nerves before driving to the café. Her ears were still ringing from the gun being discharged right next to her head. However she knew fortune allowed neither of them to be hurt. She thought about what Tom had said about not telling his mother or wife about the incident. Then she thought about Piper. She couldn't imagine putting Piper through emotions of having almost lost another love to death. She decided then that she would not tell Piper either. Somethings are just better left unsaid.

* * *

Alex could not concentrate on any work that needed to be done at The Place. Frankly her ears were still ringing and the effects of adrenaline were still wreaking havoc on her nervous system. She finally simply slipped out the back without saying goodbye to any of the staff. Everyone was happily discussing their plans for that evening, how they were celebrating the New Year. Alex certainly did not want to put a damper on the staff's moods.

Alex sat in her jeep at the lake, watching the random rain drops make concentric circles on the water. Breathing deeply she concentrated on calming herself in an attempt to get her emotions under control. She knew if she showed up at home like this, Piper would suspect something. Piper had an innate ability to see through Alex's walls. But Alex knew she had to keep her anguish from Piper this time.

New Year's Eve. This is the distraction she needed. She and Piper had already decided to stay home for the sake of the new pups. Without knowing how the girls would react to the fireworks, it would not be fair to leave them at home alone. But what else? Finally an idea struck Alex and as she began to make mental plans, her nerves settled. Piper will love this.

**_Alex: Dinner and movie night?  
_ ** **_Piper: sounds fabulous!  
_ ** **_Alex: I have dinner covered. Movie snacks are all you. See you soon X  
_ ** ****_Piper: deal X_

* * *

When Alex got home, she was greeted two bundles of fur struggling to get out the dog door at the same time. Grabbing her groceries, she made her way past the wriggling pups who had made it into the backyard. Unlocking the door, Alex as relieved that the dogs had gotten distracted by a stick they had found which was perfect for playing tug of war. She was also relieved to see the dogs had not escaped and caused havoc anywhere. The dog door was definitely an excellent decision, that along with their hordes of toys which kept them occupied when they were not sleeping. Alex did loved always having them to greet her and Piper when they came home, especially today as they helped ease her tension.

Alex busied herself and her mind by prepping for dinner with Choc and Peep wrestling around her feet. She grated cheeses and sliced vegetables and meat to place in separate ramekins. She then started making a dough from scratch. Once that was done, she covered the dough and put it into the fridge to rise. Looking at her finished preparations, she hoped that Piper would enjoy the idea.

* * *

Alex was relaxing on the couch with the pups laying on her stomach. Without warning, Choc launched off the couch and went skittering on the floors to the back door. Peep was slower to awaken but soon followed her sister. "I guess that means that Mom is home," Alex mumbled. She sat up, wiping sleep from her eyes, and went to greet Piper. "Hi babe." Alex took the bags from Piper so her girlfriend could properly greet the dogs with lots of pats and rubs. Alex stood over Piper who was seated on the floor playing with the girls. Smiling and watching, she eventually cleared her throat. Piper looked up as the dogs clamoring against her chest. "Hi. I'm here, too."

Piper laughed. "Do I sense some jealousy babe?" She grinned as she made her way to her feet. She nuzzled Alex's neck as she stretched up to kiss Alex lightly. "Hi."

"Not jealous as long as you remember to give me attention, too." Alex grinned back and wrapped her arms around Piper and gave her a proper kiss.

Piper pulled the snacks out of the bag and arranged them on the counter. "Did you meet with Tom? How did it go?"

Alex tensed then quickly relaxed. "I met with him briefly. I think he's open to another meeting." Alex had not considered what she would say, just what she wouldn't say. "I'm going to try to set up something on the 2nd."

Piper responded as she moved into the living room. "Well I hope he wasn't as much of a dick to you as he was at his mom's. It's a shame since Amanda is such a sweet woman."

Alex just murmured something she hoped sounded like agreement. "Why don't you set up the TV and see what looks good on Netflix?"

"Yay! Movie night with my three girls! What's for dinner? I'm starved."

Alex had begun to take out the pizza ingredients and arrange them on the counter. She chucked because she knew what was coming. "I thought pizza babe. How does that sound?"

"Alex! We never agree on what kind of pizza to get. Ugh! Seriously?" Piper was beginning to whine as she came back into the kitchen. "I thought you were cooking..." Piper stopped speaking as she saw the kitchen. "What's all this?"

"It's build-your-own-pizza night here at the Chapman-Vause household. I thought you might like to not only pick your own ingredients," Alex turned as she brought the dough out of the fridge, "but to also toss your own dough."

Piper excitedly clapped her hands as she saw all Alex had done. "Alex! All my favorites. And yours. You even bought pizza stones for the oven. Oh my goodness. You are the best girlfriend ever." Piper squealed as she examined all of the ingredients.

"Am I forgiven for choosing pizza?" Alex chuckled, knowing she didn't need an answer to that question.

* * *

It took a while to get the pizza dough tossed just right, but Piper was a fast learner. She was delighted to choose toppings that were only for her since she wouldn't have to hear how an errant bell pepper ended up crossing the boundary to Alex's slice. Soon both pizzas were topped with just the right ingredients and in the oven. Piper was doing her part, helping to clean up the kitchen.

"How did you know how to do that, with the dough and all?" Piper was still in awe recalling how Alex flattened out the dough and tossed it high in the air to stretch it out. "I mean, who would think to make homemade pizzas from scratch."

"I have a good friend from college. His family owns an Italian restaurant. Tony said if I wanted to eat there, I'd have to learn to toss pizzas to earn my keep. I think he just taught me so he wouldn't have to do it!"

Soon the pizzas were cooked and sliced. Piper and Alex decided to sit at the table with their plates out of the reach of rambunctious little fur balls. Piper took a bite and ooey, gooey cheese stretched from her mouth to the slice. After chewing enough to get her words out, she was making heavenly nom nom noises, expressing how much she was enjoying the food.

"Alex these are amazing! Can we do this more often? This beats delivery by a long shot! I love being able to pick all the ingredients I want and pile them high. And I don't have your mushrooms sneaking over to my side!"

Alex couldn't contain her laughter. Piper was so tickled at the pizza she had made herself. Plus there was still flour on her forehead. "Sure Pipes whenever you want."

Piper tucked into another slice and spoke again. "What else do I not know about the elusive skills of Alex Vause? Tell me what else you did in college. What was your favorite job?"

Alex looked up in thought then grinned at Piper. "My favorite job was working as a bartender. I was kick ass if I must say so myself. This bar was beyond wild. We had the best beer selection in town and burgers to die for. I have to say that bartending was my favorite college job by far. What about you?"

Piper blushed. "You don't want to know."

Alex poked Piper in the side. "Of course I do. I want to know all about my Piper. Come on. I was a bartender for crying out loud."

Piper decided to share. "Right out of high school when I was single and stumbling around college, not knowing what to do with my life, I spent some time as a DJ. I played in this local lesbian club. I entered this area college contest and did pretty well."

"Pretty well, huh? You probably won! I would never imagine you as a DJ. DJ Pipes, eh?"

"And you think you just scream a drink slinger? Hey bartender, serve us another round." Both women laughed.

Soon Piper gathered all the movie snacks and went to set things up for their epic New Year's Eve Netflix night. Alex finished cleaning in the kitchen, made sure the dogs had been fed, and followed Piper into the living room with the drinks. Soon Alex and Piper were settled on the couch, cross legged eating snacks and starting their movie marathon evening.

* * *

"Damn Piper. What a satirical campy lesbian movie." Alex shifted to grab her drink as the credits rolled on  _But I'm A Cheerleader._  "I am glad that Megan went back for Graham at graduation though."

"Alex, do you know who Megan reminds me of? Nicky ... if Nicky would do something with that damned unruly hair of hers." Piper laughed. "Ok Al, your turn to pick."

"Do you want to go dark and serious? Or do you want another light, feel good movie?" Alex knew what her girlfriend's answer would be as Piper snuggled closer. "Oooh I know!" Piper groaned as Alex found  _Frozen_  and began to hum 'Let It Go'. "What? I love this movie." Alex knew how much Piper despised  _Frozen,_ so she queued up her real selection which got a squeal from Piper.

"I love  _Pitch Perfect!"_

* * *

Midnight was drawing near and so was the end of the movie. Right after the Bellas' final performance as Beca is running through the audience, Piper flips off the TV. "Hey! That's the best part of the movie." Alex sat up protesting.

Piper looked at her in disbelief. "Seriously Alex? Is that really the ending you want? Beca gets Jesse? Everyone knows that's not what was supposed to happen. Beca was supposed to get Chloe!"

Alex threw her head back laughing. "Is that so?"

Piper nodded. "Everyone knows – those two are a match made in lesbian heaven." She wrapped her arms around Alex's neck and kissed her passionately. "That's how it should have ended... Girl gets girl!" Outside they could hear the neighbors counting down.

10 – 9 – 8 …. 3 – 2 -1

"Happy New Year Alex."

"You, too, Pipes."


	24. Donovan Driving Tour

Piper pulled up in front of Amanda's house. It was the day after New Year's and they had promised to take Amanda into Donovan for a day of reminiscing and history lessons. "Fuck. Just what we need." Piper was disgusted to see Tom's construction truck out front. "I am not in the mood for confrontation today."

Alex squeezed her girlfriend's hand. "It's going to be okay Pipes. Trust me." Truthfully she didn't know what to expect when they walked through the doors, but she needed to remain positive for both their sakes.

A young boy and girl played in the yard, chasing each other with foam swords and mock fighting. Their flaming red hair was proof that these were Tom's children, the grandchildren Amanda were so proud of. As Piper and Alex got out of the car, the kids stopped running, shyly waved, and then went back to their folly.

Alex had no sooner rang the bell as the door was flung open by a middle aged woman in an apron. "Hi. You must be Piper and Alex. I'm Lisa, Tom's wife. Come on in. Pardon me for not shaking your hand. As you can tell, I'm covered in flour from baking cookies. Grandma Mandy is so excited about today. It's shaping up to be quite the day for her."

Alex and Piper followed Lisa into the kitchen where Amanda was sitting at the breakfast table. Her eyes lit up upon seeing them. "I'm so glad you are here ladies. I thought I might not get to go on my tour after all."

Piper approached Amanda, placing a hand on her shoulder. "We wouldn't miss this for the world. You have so much to teach us."

Piper stiffened as Tom walked in the room. "You two remember my son, Tom, right? He's been repairing things off my honey-do list. It will be so nice to not have a leaky faucet or squeaky ceiling fan anymore." Amanda was simply beaming. Tom nodded slightly at Alex, acknowledging her presence, then gave Piper a slight smile.

"Miss Amanda, are you ready to go?" Brushing off Tom, Piper gave the elderly woman a smile. Thinking, Piper paused. "How much do your grandchildren know about their family history?" Amanda looked at Lisa who shrugged. "Do you think they are interested in learning? We have room in the car if they would like to go."

"Let's ask them." Lisa called the children in front the front yard and told them what their grandmother was about to go and extended the invitation to them. Interestingly enough, only the girl wanted to tag along.

Piper knelt down to the nine year old's level and offered her hand. "Hi, I'm Piper."

The girl tentatively shook Piper's hand. Her voice was soft. "My name is Suzie."

"Suzie, huh? Let me guess." Piper made a show of thinking really hard. "That wouldn't be short for Suzanna, would it?" The little girl grinned and nodded her head. Piper pondered again. "Were you named after your great, great grandmother Suzanna by chance?"

Suzie shook her head and said, "No! My great, great, GREAT grandmother!" Everyone in the room laughed.

"Well Suzie, I'm glad you are going with us today. Your family is very important to this area. We have to keep their history alive through people like your Grandma Mandy here and her memories."

Alex got Amanda buckled in the front seat of Piper's car while Piper and Suzie rode in the back. Suzie was chattering away and Piper was just listening for all she was worth.

* * *

The four had driven all around the town with Amanda pointing out original buildings and telling the stories of their original owners. Soon they made their way out to the house on the lake and carefully picked their way through the overgrown grass, making their way to the front porch.

Amanda produced a key from her jacket pocket and handed it to Alex. "I'm sure the lock is a little rusty. Could you be a dear and open the door?" Alex looked at Piper, slightly shocked as they had not expected to get to see the inside of the manor. After working the lock a bit, Alex was able to make entry into the house.

While there was no electricity, plenty of light came in through the cracks in the boards on the windows. There was even furniture still in most of the rooms, covered with sheets and thick oil cloth. The interior needed work but was absolutely beautiful at the same time. After a quick tour, Amanda was coughing as the dust flew about in the air, so the four retreated outside to listen to the stories Amanda had to pass on about Donovan Manor, the original Suzanna, and Aunt Mary. Suzie was tickled to be hearing all about her namesake. She knew she had been named after a distant relative but these stories made her know just how special her name was.

The final stop of the Donovan tour was The Place. Alex decided to show Amanda their café and to get some refreshments. Suzie was so excited that she got to pick out her very own pastry and didn't have to share with her little brother.

"Thank you ladies so much for playing chauffeur to me today and for included little Suzie. I had forgotten how much I love this town and the memories it holds." Amanda was struggling to fight back tears, wiping the corner of her eyes with her napkin. "I cannot imagine anybody tearing down my house or making it into anything other than what it is. I'd like to hear more about your plans."

Piper took in a breath to speak, knowing this was her time to talk to Amanda when Tom wasn't around to interfere. Alex stopped her with a hand on her arm. "Amanda, we'd love to talk to you about our plans. Of course we respect this is a family affair, and we'd like to include Tom in our discussions." Alex heard a sharp intake of breath come from Piper. Alex gently applied pressure on Piper's arm to keep her calm. "What would you think of the five of you coming to our house for Sunday lunch tomorrow? After we eat, we have two rambunctious puppies who would love to have some kids to play with while the adults talk."

"Oh grandma. Puppies! Please, please can we? TJ and I love puppies."

Amanda smiled and nodded her head. "That's a very nice offer Alex. As long as my son doesn't have other plans, then we will come."

* * *

After dropping off Amanda and her granddaughter, Piper drove back to the house in silence. Alex fed Choc and Peep, basking in the joyful love only a puppy can provide. She knew she would eventually have to face Piper who was banging around in the kitchen so she was temporarily enjoying unconditional acceptance.

Sure enough, as soon as Alex entered the kitchen, Piper approached her. Placing both hands firmly on Alex's chest she pushed her backwards. "Alexandra Vause! What has gotten into you? We could have sealed the deal with Amanda today. But no. You not only halted that, you invited that homophobic asshole into our house! What's gotten into you?"

Alex took a deep breath and released it. "Can we sit down Piper?" Alex's nerves were shot as she knew she had to not only lay out her plan to Piper but to also come clean as to why she had formulated this plan to begin with.

"I am furious with you!"

Alex took a seat at the kitchen table and waited for Piper to calm and sit with her. "I know you are Pipes. But hear me out. Please?" Alex's eyes were pleading as she searched for some give in Piper's angry demeanor.

Piper's body posture was completely closed as she crossed both her arms and legs and leaned way back from Alex. "Ok. Talk."

"I want to see if Tom will do the renovations on Donovan Manor." Alex stopped, waiting for the explosion.

"You want WHAT?! No fucking way is that homophobic prick getting near our house, IF Amanda will sell it to us! No Alex. NO."

Alex took another calming breath. "Piper the other day when I went to see Tom. I didn't tell you what happened." Alex looked down at the floor. "Tom was fairly despondent. He has lost almost everything he has because of one errant customer. I think if we offer him the contract as a contingency of the sale, then he will support his mother selling the house. And it IS their family home."

"Whose side are you on Alex? I don't care if his reputation is mud or if he's loses his house. He's not my problem. He's arrogant and rude. I don't trust him Alex."

Alex reached over to grasp Piper's hands. "But I do Pipes."

"Why?"

"Why? Because I saved his life. Well I think I kind of saved both our lives." Alex steeled herself for Piper's reaction and told her about her visit to Tom's office, complete with the incident with the gun. "So I think Tom and I have a mutual respect now which both you and I can capitalize on."

Piper's face was somber as she processed the knowledge that her girlfriend had almost been shot. "You...you didn't tell me Alex."

"I was worried how you would react to almost losing me. Plus I think I hadn't fully processed this until today. Seeing Tom at his mother's house doing her chores tells me he is pulling himself from his depression and returning to normal. Plus hell Piper, I researched his work. He's damned good. I really think this idea can work."

Piper was quiet as she contemplated all that Alex had revealed to her. Suddenly the quietness of the room was smashed by a yellow streak banging into the cupboards being followed closely behind by a brown ball of fur.

"Piper. Please. Trust me?"

"Trust you? Is there anything else you didn't tell me?"

Alex looked sheepish. "Ummm I kept his gun? But only so he would try anything again. I'll give it back tomorrow..."

"Is that all?" Piper was still cautious as Alex nodded. "Then we'll see about you regaining my trust as you decide what to cook for seven people for lunch tomorrow. That's all on you Al!"

* * *

Tom pushed back from the table and spoke to Piper. "Ma'am that was an excellent lunch. Thank you for bringing my family into my home."

Suzie and TJ looked expectantly at their father. "You are excused. Take your plates to the kitchen." The children dutifully cleared their places. Alex followed them out to show them how to let the puppies into the backyard and what toys were their favorite. She returned to the house and took coffee out to the rest of the guests. Piper and Lisa had cleared other dishes, and Piper had retrieved what plans they had worked out thus far for Donovan Manor.

Tom stood. "I believe this is a ladies' conversation. I'll be out back with the kids."

"No Tom." Alex looked at him pointedly. "This involves you as well." While his look was puzzling, Tom returned to his seat and listened quietly.

The next half hour or so was spent with Piper laying out skeleton plans they had for restoring the manor to its former glory and opening up a B&B focusing on the history of Donovan.

"Amanda, we would like to make you a fair market offer on your house, all its furnishings and high-quality copies of any papers, photos, or documents you have of the history behind the house and the town." Piper slid an envelope towards Amanda. "Of course you are welcome to have your own appraisal done, but I think you will find this offer quite generous."

Amanda opened the envelope and examined the offer. Both her and Lisa's eyes grew wide. Then Alex spoke, looking at Tom. "But there is another condition of the sale. We will not want to purchase your home unless Tom agrees to be our contractor."

All heads turned to Tom who sat there dumbfounded. "Me? Why?"

"Why? We trust you Tom. Plus you know more about this house than any other contractor in the area. Furthermore I've done my research and word on the street is you are the best contractor in the area."

Amanda looked proudly at her son. Tom walked over to his mother and placed his arms around her shoulders. "I support you Mama. It's your house. Your choice."

Amanda laughed and slapped the table with her open palm. "Well in that case...SOLD!"


	25. Groundbreaking Ceremony

"So we are really going to do this?" Piper looked around the room. The lawyers had approved the paperwork and since this was a cash sale, there was not going to be endless signing of paperwork as in a regular closing. When Piper was having her attorney draw up the paperwork for the sale, she and Alex had some additional paperwork drawn up. As the Griffiths were about to start signing, Alex looked at Piper and said. "It's not quite time to start just yet. There's something Piper and I didn't tell you." She explained what she and Piper had done then slid another folder of paperwork over to the family. "We have made it possible for your family to retain 10% ownership of the house. While it's not much, the options allow you and your ancestors to have first option to buy should Piper and I ever decide to sell or if something happens to us. This all but guarantees Donovan Manor stays with the Donovan lineage."

"But why give us any percentage at all?" Tom was perplexed as he scrutinized the paperwork before handing it to his attorney. "It seems as though you've let go of 10% of your profit as well." 

It was Piper's turn to speak. "There are three generations of your family still in this area. We want you all to be a part of this endeavor." Piper took a deep breath before she continued. "Plus the local news channel is doing a series on the history of Donovan, and I want the focus to be on your family and the manor. Not some strangers from out of town, namely us." Piper motioned between herself and Alex.

Amanda looked bewildered. "Tom? What's going on Tom? Why are you upset?" She was concerned because her son seemed to be close to tears.

Tom lovingly placed his hand on his mother's shoulder. "I'm not upset Mom. Piper and Alex just gave us part ownership of the house. Donovan Manor will always be in our family. Just like Grandma Suzanna wanted."

 A few signatures was all it took to transfer the deed and set up the money wire. When all was done, Alex popped the cork on a bottle of sparkling apple cider and toasts were made around the room.

Tom and his wife were there alongside Amanda throughout the entire process. He indeed had been very supportive of his mother's decision to sell the property. He had even gone so far as to already spend time with Alex discussing what was going to be required to renovate the manor. 

* * *

The roar of the lawn mower shut down to silence as Boo pushed it over to the shade of the large tree next to the house. Wiping her face with the towel hanging around her neck, she took the offered bottle of water, poured half of it over her head and drained the rest. "Thanks Celeste. I'm wondering how you two got the easy job while I'm here chopping weeds and cutting grass that hasn't seen the light of day in years."

Nicky pulled a stack of tents to the edge of the bed of her truck and carried them one by one to the porch. "Oh but the wife-beater looks so good on you there Boo."

"With the hoe work I was doing earlier, I felt like I should be wearing an orange jumpsuit and working on a prison chain gang!" The three women laughed.

Celeste tossed her roommate another bottle of water. "I could never see you incarcerated Boo. You are much too gentle."

"Hey, hey, don't ruin my reputation now. It's more like I'd go insane without regular access to sex! Going to prison would cut off my access to women!" Boo flexed her large tattooed arm.

After a brief rest, Boo finished with the front yard where the tables and tents were to be set up for the ground-breaking ceremony in a few days. "This yard looks like shit. But this is the best I can do with what I have." Boo helped Nicky finish unloading the tents and tables then went to store the yard equipment in the shed.

* * *

"This afternoon, we kick off a series of eight broadcasts about the history of our beloved town, Donovan." The camera picked up on the newswoman standing next to the Griffith family. "We are here with three generations of ancestors of the founder of the town of Donovan: Amanda Griffith, her son Tom and granddaughter Suzie."

_~cut to a pre-recorded video of an earlier interview~_

Amanda was speaking. "My great grandmother was Suzanna Donovan who moved here to be a rancher's wife with my great grandfather. He died unexpectedly, leaving her substantial acreage. Not knowing anything about ranching, but anticipating the arrival of the railroad, Grandma Suzanna decided to sell off plots of her land founded the town of Donovan."

_~live feed~_

"The house you see behind me, Donovan Manor, is one we are all familiar with as it grandly sits on the lakefront. It has been in this family for six generations and restorations are about to begin to turn it into a bed and breakfast."

_~cut back to interview~_

Amanda was beaming from ear to ear as she spoke of her ancestry, her history. "Grandma Suzanna and Aunt Mary opened up a boarding house in Donovan Manor. This is why we are excited to be working with Piper Chapman and Alex Vause to restore the house to its former glory and preserve the memories of my family and the history of this fine town."

_~cut back live~_

"Ms. Chapman and Ms. Vause are the owners of the local café, The Place, and have agreed to fund the complete restoration of this beautiful house. Why don't you drop by Donovan Lake and the mansion tomorrow for the official ground breaking ceremony at 2 pm? And join us again next week to hear the next segment of our series of the history of Donovan. Back to the studio."

Amanda gleefully clapped her hands as the newswoman spoke a few words to the cameraman then returned to the family. "You did such a good job Amanda. This is going to be such a good human interest story for our community. I'm looking forward to working with you to learn more of your stories."

Alex and Piper both gave Amanda a hug then walked the newswoman to the van. "We really appreciate what you and the station are doing with these series. They mean a lot to Amanda and to us as well."

"Are you kidding me? This material is gold with appeal to all of our viewers. I'm delighted that you reached out to us and are willing to keep us in the loop."

Piper shook the woman's hand. "Well we are also working with the local newspaper. As well I've actually hired a historical researcher to help us document and archive absolutely everything. Eventually we hope it finds its way to a museum so that history stays alive for future generations."

* * *

"Oh mercy. I hope these cupcakes don't melt. Nicky. Nicky, be careful with those boxes now." As Lorna's anxiety level increased, so did the pitch of her voice. "Nicky! Oh can we take my car? I don't want those in the back of your truck. The cookies Nicky, did you get those? We can't forget. This has to be perfect."

Nicky had long since gotten used to Lorna's panicky nature and simply reassured her girlfriend that she was taking good care of the sweets. Boo had already left with the coffee, lemonade, and tea, so all that was left were the eats. Lorna insisted on Nicky driving extremely slowly on the way out to the lake to preserve the baked goods riding in the back of the truck. Eventually they made it to the mansion with all of the yummies safe.

Lorna and Celeste busied themselves with setting up the refreshment tent. They both had decided to wear period clothing of long, flowing dresses and matching bonnets. Nicky set up and tested the sound system. Boo ensured all of the chairs were set up and that the all-important symbolic golden shovels were in place.

Soon the crowd began to gather, and it was a surprisingly sizable gathering as well. Piper and Alex had sent out plenty of invitations, but their last minute decision to open the ground breaking ceremony to the entire area during last night's news broadcast drew in a larger and much more diverse group of people.

"How do I look?" Piper's voice was shaky as her nerves began to take over.

Alex took Piper in her arms and kissed her gently. "You look fabulous love. Right from the turn of the century." Alex chuckled as Piper poked her in the ribs. "Seriously, you rock the Victorian dress look."

"Thanks. You don't look too shabby yourself." Alex had chosen a slim fitting red dress cut right above her knees. "Sexy." Piper reached up and kissed Alex. "Okay M.C. It's time to get this ceremony started."

The panel of dignitaries and other participants were seated up front on either side of the podium. When Alex stepped up to the microphone, the crowd settled. "Welcome everyone. I am Alex Vause, one of the owners of a local café, The Place. We are so glad you joined us this afternoon to celebrate the groundbreaking of the renovations of Donovan Manor." She introduced the city's mayor, Amanda, Tom, and Piper. "If you saw last night's news segment, you know Amanda is the fourth generation of the Donovan family. I would like to invite her to say a few words."

Amanda spoke briefly repeating a lot from the previous night's newscast. Alex then introduced Tom as Amanda's son as well as the contractor for the remodel. Tom spoke about the timeline to the renovations and the plans for the 1800's house. The mayor discussed the historical value of Donovan Manor and its importance of the project Piper and Tom were spearheading in regards to the revitalization of Donovan.

After all of the speeches were made, it was time for the ceremonial ground breaking. Amanda, Tom, Piper, and the mayor all lined up and were given their golden shovels and hard hats. Together they officially turned the soil and posed for pictures. Alex announced the availability of refreshments and concluded the ceremony.

* * *

There was quite the variety of people milling about – historians, customers from The Place, business owners, family friends of the Griffiths, and people simply interested in finding out more about this project. It seemed as though the majority of them wanted to talk to Amanda. She was tickled at all of the attention. And she wasn't letting the crowd overwhelm her, either. Soon she had everyone organized around her, so she only had to tell her stories once. She steered away from stories that she had already told to the newscaster for the broadcast. "Mercy knows I have enough stories to tell" as she told the group. When she had her fill of talking, she simply told her audience to watch the news every week for more stories.

After milling around for a while, Piper and Alex stood back and watched the people. "I had no idea there would be such interest in our project here Al." Piper was excited as she saw the people wondering around the property. "I think we made the perfect decision in keeping the Griffiths as part owners. They are the story here, not us."

"You are right Pipes. It's awesome to have Amanda and her son involved. Honestly I'm glad the spotlight is on them. You can tell it has gone a long way in lifting Tom's spirits and repairing his relationship with his mother. Why don't you go mingle a bit more? I'm going to go talk to the girls and make sure all is well with the refreshments."

Alex smiled as she watched Piper walk off. As she often was, Alex was stunned by Piper's beauty. She caught herself daydreaming, closed her eyes and Piper's image filled her brain, her lingering scent filled her nose. Despite the crowds of people, Alex found herself longing, craving. Her smiles were inexplicable to those around her. Anyone watching Alex could only fathom her pleasure as Piper's happiness filled her soul.


	26. Let the Project Begin

Alex squinted her eyes to guard against the sunlight peeking between the curtains. After blinking her eyes a few times to clear the film of a night's sleep, Alex was surprised to see Piper still sleeping soundly in front of her as Piper was normally awake at the crack of dawn. Alex listened carefully to the quietness enveloping the house. She did not hear any whining or sounds that the furry monsters housed in the laundry room below might be stirring so she snuggled into Piper's back as the blonde spooned into her. Alex was torn whether she should enjoy the quiet and Piper's companionship or slip out of bed to head downstairs and ensure the peace was not broken, allowing Piper to continue her undisturbed slumber.

After contemplating the pros and cons of each choice, Alex decided on the latter so that she could have breakfast ready for her girlfriend. Piper was normally the first to rise, so Alex felt this would be a special treat for her to wake up to – puppies tended to and a prepared, albeit continental, breakfast. Alex softly smoothed Piper's long blonde hair down her pillow and kissed her on the back of the head before furtively slipping out of bed.

Downstairs Alex realized that by a fortunate turn of events, the pups were still asleep in their crate so did not start their cacophony of barks and howls as their normal form of morning greetings. Alex opened the back door and quickly opened the crate door before Choc and Peep could get fully awake to raise a ruckus. They raced out the back door with enthusiasm. She sat on the damp grass with them for a bit while they romped and wrestled, hoping the change in routine and extra attention would keep them quiet. Alex dished out their food and lured them back in for their kibble breakfast.

Returning to the kitchen, Alex started a pot of coffee and pulled out the makings of a modest yet filling breakfast of fruit, yogurt, bagels, and peanut butter. After cutting up and arranging the fruit, the coffee had finished brewing. Alex was surprised that Piper still had not come downstairs as normally the sweet aroma drew her down like a junkie drawn to heroin. Since everything else was ready, Alex poured Piper a cup of joe and headed upstairs.

As she rounded the corner to the bedroom, she caught sight of Piper sprawled out in the bed. Luckily Alex had made the choice to get up, otherwise there would have been no room for her! Piper was sleeping so soundly that Alex could not bear to wake her. She slowly exited the bedroom and shut the door as an extra noise barrier in case the dogs later became rambunctious.

Alex ate her own breakfast, placed the remaining fruit and yogurt in the refrigerator, and left the bagels and peanut butter out on the counter. She plucked insulated travel mug from the cabinet and filled it with coffee and herded the dogs outside. It was a beautiful morning and there was no reason to spend it inside.

* * *

When she finally woke up and saw that it was almost 11 am, she panicked until she realized that the bed was empty and the door was closed. Her heart warmed as she realized that Alex must have closed the door so that she could sleep. She could faintly hear Alex outside, playing with the dogs, so Piper decided to enjoy her solitude a tiny bit longer. Piper rubbed her eyes as she padded downstairs in her pajamas and socks. The coffee pot had long shut off automatically, so Piper poured her a cup and popped it into the microwave to warm. She popped a bagel into the toaster then opened the refrigerator to pour herself some juice. Seeing the cut fruit and bowl of yogurt, she smiled realizing that, had she gotten up, Alex would have even had breakfast ready for her. After preparing her breakfast, she carefully balanced everything on a large tray and made her way outside. No sooner did she step out the door as a flash of brown fur was at her feet, almost knocking her down.

"Choc. Come." Alex's voice was exasperated. Piper did not dare to pet the wriggling mass of puppy clamoring for her attention. "Peep. Stay. Good girl." Alex tossed a small treat to Peep whose butt was planted firmly on the ground, ignoring her other mother who had just emerged from the house. "Choc. Come." Choc took a wide circle, running full tilt around the back yard and came sliding to a halt at Alex's feet. She plopped her butt on the ground and looked at the treat bag intently. "Seriously? You think that deserves a treat? I don't think so."

Alex released both of the dogs from training to go play and went over to Piper. "Well if it isn't sleeping beauty herself? I'm glad you could join us Ms. Chapman!" Alex gave Piper a brief hug and kiss.

"I feel like I slept for days. I guess I was tired, huh?"

"I guess so. By the way, your dogs are rascals."

"My dogs? They are your dogs, too, Al. Peep seems to be learning quickly though."

"Peep is running a racket for treats. Watch this." Alex whistled. "Choc. Come!" The golden dog came racing up, looking at Alex expectantly while the chocolate one came lumbering up slowly behind her. "Choc. Sit!" Peep planted her rear on the ground while Choc simply wandered off. "See, Peep is in it for the treats. She's going to be big as a house while we try to get Choc trained." Alex tossed a treat towards Peep.

Piper chuckled. "Choc will just take extra time. She's just special, you know."

Alex and Piper stayed outside the rest of the morning and most of the afternoon, visiting about various things. What spring flowers to plant, should they repaint the bedroom, totally random. "I feel like it's been so long that we've just talked Pipes. You and me. No café talk, no house talk, no drama. I've missed this."

Piper scooted her chair closer to Alex's where she could hold the dark haired woman's hand. "I've missed this, too, Alex. Things are about to get even busier for us. So I'm super grateful for today. Thanks for letting me sleep in. But even more so, thank you for being you."

Alex's eyes sparkled as she looked at Piper. "Who else would I be if I were not me? You were sleeping so soundly this morning; I couldn't bring myself to wake you up." Alex pressed her lips to Piper's. Leaning her forehead against Piper's, she smiled again. "But actually I'm starving. How about we go out for dinner tonight?"

* * *

Alex left Piper to pick up the dog toys from the back yard and clean up the small kitchen mess. Alex ventured upstairs and turned on the shower so it could get steaming hot before she got in. While the water was warming up, Alex selected her clothes and laid them out carefully on the bed. Despite being a café manager, she was proud of her body and always took advantage of opportunities to dress up.

Soon Alex was naked and relishing the hot water beating on her skin. Today had been a relaxing day and this shower was a complement to start a lovely evening. Alex placed both of her hands on the wall, dipped her head forward, and let the water roll down the back of her shoulders. She heard a slight click and felt a burst of chilled air rush through the steam. No sooner did she hear the second click of the shower door closing, she felt Piper's arms wrap around her waist and Pipe lay her head on Alex's back.

Alex went to turn around but Piper slightly tightened her arms, restricting Alex's movement. Piper moved both her hands down to Alex's thighs then moved one hand up to cup one breast while another hand reached around Alex's leg and pulled her ass into Piper's crotch. Alex moved her head backwards and Piper immediately pulled her girlfriend's earlobe into her mouth. Piper eased her grip on Alex, encouraging her to turn around.

Alex's mouth immediately found Piper's and attacked it feverishly, each woman kissing with her own agenda yet fully focused on the body in front of her. Piper looped the fingers of one of her hands with Alex's and brought the hands to their face. She touched Alex's face then rubbed the back of Alex's hand on her own face. She then drew Alex's fingers down their pressed bodies.

Piper broke the kiss, turned and leaned her head back into the streaming shower water. Alex drew her teeth from Piper's jaw, down her throat to her shoulders. Nipping slightly at Piper's shoulders, Alex pulled her closer with one hand firmly on Piper's ass. She moved her hand back up to Piper's back, pressing her fingers in to knead Piper's skin. Piper then dropped her head slightly and found Alex's breast and began to suck Alex's nipple, then beneath her breast, then her stomach and back to her nipple. As Piper's teeth closed on Alex's nipple, Alex involuntarily moaned and pressed her knee between Piper's legs.

"Fuck Pipes. I want you." Alex moaned again as Piper flicked her nipple with her tongue. Alex could feel Piper's mouth grinning. Alex reached down and found Piper's core, knowing the wetness was certainly not caused by the shower.

Piper immediately stood and again found Alex's mouth. "If you want me, take me." Piper's voice was a low growl. That was all it took to push Alex over the edge of control.

* * *

The drinks had been delivered and the appetizers ordered. Alex grasped Piper's hand and brought it to her lips. "You look gorgeous tonight Pipes. Glowing, I might say."

Piper giggled. "Perhaps it's because I finally had a good night's sleep and uninterrupted sex. But seriously, thank you. You look ravishing yourself as well." Piper picked up her wine glass and held it up for a toast. "To us."

"To us." Both touched glasses then took a sip of wine. "You know Pipes, this is where we had our first dinner." Alex chuckled as a puzzled look crossed Piper's face. "Oh come on, was I not memorable enough? Remember I missed my initial group interview. I was so nervous to call you, but when I did, you invited me to dinner."

Piper laughed. "Oh, yes, now I remember. Imagine my surprise to walk in and to see Andrea sitting at the bar. Then Andrea ended up being you." Both women laughed. "Well Andrea, Alex, whoever… I'm glad things worked out the way they did. I love you Alex Vause. I love our life."

"I love you, too, Piper."

* * *

The next morning, Alex and Piper ventured to The Place for breakfast and to see how things were going now that most of the daily operations had been turned over to Celeste, Boo, and sometimes Nicky. The morning rush was just finishing out, so Alex procured their drinks and pastries while Piper commandeered a table at the back of the store.

As Alex placed breakfast on the table, Piper had a proud look on her face. "A few years ago, this café was just a dream. After a lot of blood, sweat, and tears, look at it. We've done well Alex." Alex nodded in agreement, knowing how much Piper loved the café and what it meant for her starting her life over. "But enough of the sappiness. We have work to do."

Piper pulled out a folder and a bound notebook. She had organized checklists of things that needed to be taken care of for Donovan Manor – daily and weekly check lists as well as one-time decisions that needed to be made.

"Where are we on the construction?"

Alex referred to her notes. "Tom and I agree that the electrical and plumbing should be completely redone. Tom e-mailed me last night. The city permits came through. So demolition starts today. Then he can start on the electricity and plumbing later in the week. We need to find a designer to work with us starting pretty quickly so we have a direction."

Piper grinned and pulled out an over-sized book from her bag and slid it over to Alex. Alex opened it to find cloth swatches, paint chips, turn of the century furniture pictures, and several room layouts. Alex looked questioningly at Piper. "Did you already hire a designer Piper? Where did you get this?" Alex kept turning page to page.

A giggling came from behind Alex who turned to see Lorna standing behind her. "Oh hi Lorna. Good morning." Alex turned back to Piper. "These are really great ideas."

Lorna slipped into the booth next to Alex and slid the book halfway in between them. She flipped to the front and started going through the book with explanations to a stunned Alex. Finally Piper couldn't stand it as she was about to burst with laughter. "Al, Lorna is an interior designer with a particular passion for turn of the century design. This is what she put together as her resume for the job."

Lorna entire face was lit up as she knew Alex was pleasantly surprised. "I'm glad you like my work Alex. I promise you won't be disappointed if you hire me."

Alex narrowed her eyebrows and fake glared at Piper. "Somehow I think I have been tricked into this one and that you already have the job. How did I not know this about you?" Lorna shrugged. "Regardless, I'm glad to have you on board. We have a tight timeline. Since you are here all the time anyway, can you meet with me this afternoon? I have somethings I'd like to discuss." Lorna and Ale agreed on a time, and Lorna excused herself to go work on another project. "Sneaky one Piper. I like her work, but sneaky."

"I'm not done sneaking yet, Al. How much do you know about Lorna?"

"Not much. I know Nicky is crazy about her and she makes a mean cupcake. Those went over so well at the ground breaking ceremony."

"That's not all she does Alex. Nicky told me about a breakfast in bed she was treated to. And Lorna told me about New Year's Eve dinner. It seems as though Lorna likes to also express her creativity in the kitchen. We are going to need an innkeeper, unless you are planning on learning to cook gourmet breakfasts to keep our guests returning year after year. We can put feelers out to hire someone unknown, but I think we should at least see if Lorna is interested. I think she'd be a perfect fit. We could work out her responsibilities around her design projects."

"I never knew she was such a woman of many talents. I trust your judgement Piper. Let me get the major design pieces out of the way first. Then we can talk to her. I don't want to overwhelm the poor girl."

This project was definitely getting off on the right foot.


	27. Shiplap and Puppies

After the original negotiations on the sale of the house had been made, Alex and Tom had met at the house with a structural engineer to ensure that the changes that Alex and Piper wanted made to the house were sound. Downstairs, they wanted to knock down several walls to open up the space. There would be a spacious eat-in kitchen as well as another large dining room for parties and events. One of the larger pre-existing rooms was to be turned into a quaint sitting area. The engineer signed off on all of the structural changes with minimal concerns.

Upstairs, there were originally five bedrooms and four bathrooms. Piper wanted to combine two of the bedrooms and create a two room suite with a sitting area which had the capacity to sleep additional people. This suite would be ideal for a small family. Each space would then have access to its own bathroom and additional bathrooms would be constructed on the main floor. Everyone involved was excited about the decisions that had been made as plans moved forward.

Lorna had agreed to be the designer, and once she had learned that many pieces of furniture original to the house were included in the sale, she was ecstatic. She immediately asked that the furniture be moved to a location where she could determine what was salvageable and begin restoration. The majority of the rooms would have furniture from the estate and she could search out similar pieces to fill in the missing gaps.

* * *

One afternoon Alex was working on the furniture project. For the pieces which needed refinishing, she was stripping off the old varnish and cleaning the wood. Piper stood at the door of the workshop and watched Alex as she used a combination of solvents, rags, and tools to remove old varnish from the furniture strewn around the open space. Seeing Alex's toned arms peeking out of her sleeveless t-shirt flexing as she worked on the chair in front of her made Piper salivate. No matter how long they were together, Piper didn't think she'd ever tire of watching Alex when the dark haired woman's attention was intently focused on a task. It was somehow alluring, sexy even.

Alex's head was bobbing to the music playing. The beats of the song masked the noise of Piper walking up behind her. Alex's initial tension relaxed when she realized the hands on her shoulder were the familiar ones of her girlfriend. Piper slid her hands over Alex's shoulders down to her breasts and murmured in Alex's ear. "You are so sexy when you work." Piper left a trail of kisses along Alex's neck and shoulder as she massaged Alex's breasts then giving special attention to her nipples which were hardening with the attention.

Alex pushed herself back from her project and Piper slid a leg over Alex's lap and straddled her, face to face, kissing Alex's face. "Not fair." Alex protested. "I can't touch you." She motioned to the thin gloves she wore to protect her skin from the harsh stripping chemicals.

"That's what makes it so fun." Piper's eyes were sparkling mischievously as she held Alex's face and kissed her deeply. She ground her crotch down onto Alex's lap.

Alex moaned as she lifted her hips up to meet Piper. Alex whispered through the kiss. "Lorna will be right back. Don't start something you can't finish Pipes." Alex tried to glare at Piper but didn't quite succeed as Piper slid one hand from Alex's breast down to her stomach and teased the waistband of her shorts. Alex tightened her arms around Piper, avoiding touching her with the gloves.

Piper leaned back and smiled wryly as she slipped her hand beneath the waistband of Alex's shorts and wriggled her fingers beneath the elastic of her panties. Piper and Alex gasped simultaneously. "Fuck Al. You get wet so fast. Such a turn on."

"With a woman like you sitting on my lap, do you blame me?" Alex struggled to keep her composure as she pulled Piper closely, reaching behind Piper to pull off the rubber gloves to toss them aside. Now that Alex's hands were free, she dug into Piper's back with one hand while massaging her small breast with the other. "Fuck Pipes. Put me out of my misery."

Piper slowly dragged her fingers, moistening them with Alex's juice. "Misery? If you are miserable babe, then maybe I should stop." Piper paused her motions.

Alex bucked her hips into Piper's hand. "That's  _not_  what I meant. Please babe?" Alex's voice was close to a whimper.

Piper quickly found Alex's clit, making firm circular motions followed by light flicking. Piper soon settled into a solid rhythm which had Alex panting, moving her hips along with Piper's hand. Piper pinched Alex's nipple which caused Alex to moan in pleasure. Whether it was the sudden nature of the encounter or the excitement of possibly being caught, Alex quickly was pushed over the edge as she orgasmed with Piper's hand shoved down her shorts. Despite Alex's moans and cries, Piper did not stop until she was certain Alex was spent. Only then did she slowly withdraw her hand and fold herself into Alex's chest.

No sooner than Piper curled up against Alex, did the sound of a slow clapping start from the back entrance of the warehouse and continue as steps announced an approaching person. "Bravo boss ladies! Bravo!" Nicky's brash voice echoed in the building. Nicky continued clapping until she stood in front of the pair then stood there grinning like a Cheshire cat.

Piper buried her blushing face in Alex's chest. Alex closed her eyes. "Fuck. Nicky how long have you been here?"

Nicky laughed. "Ehhh not long boss. Just for the crescendo and finale. I came in and when I realized what was going on and that you didn't hear me come in, I figured I wouldn't be so lucky leaving and I didn't want to interrupt your little fun fest here. Plus you were almost done. However I must say boss, I never pegged you for a moaner."

Alex wasn't about to let on how utterly embarrassed she was. "Why the fuck are you here Nichols? Aren't you supposed to be serving coffee or something?"

"Naw, Lorna wanted me to pick up some stain samples. I think she had a delivery to pick up at the post office. Anyway. Here ya go boss ladies." Nicky placed a case from the hardware store on the table. "And again-bravo!" Nicky clapped as she left the warehouse.

Piper looked up at Alex sheepishly. "Well it could have been worse, right?"

Alex scoffed. "How?"

* * *

After taking a short break, Alex had pulled on a clean pair of gloves and was about to get back to work. Her phone rang, and after a brief one-sided conversation, she hung up. "Come on Pipes. That was Tom. He wants us to come to the house. Lorna is meeting us there, too."

"Uh oh. What's wrong?" Piper was immediately concerned.

"Nothing I don't think. He seemed kind of excited but wouldn't tell me anything other than to get out there."

Alex and Piper crawled into Alex's Jeep and drove to the lake. Upon arrival, they could hear the excitement in Lorna's high pitched voice. "Sounds like we are late to the party. Come on Pipes." They entered the front door and made their way to the kitchen where they found Tom and Lorna. "Hey. What's up?"

Lorna squealed as she pointed to the walls of the kitchen. "Look at what Tom found under the wallpaper!" Lorna she ran her hands over the broad horizontal boards which made up the walls of the kitchen.

Piper looked confused. "Uhhhh a wall?"

Lorna giggled. "No. This is shiplap. Tom wasn't sure what we would find so he was careful. This is the best case scenario of what he could have found."

Both Piper and Alex were confused. Because they weren't sure they could get a coherent answer from Lorna, they turned to look at Tom. Tom was grinning. "Shiplap refers to these broad boards. It's a common tongue in groove construction method of this time period. This is definitely a sought after look in many of the high end home remodels. Upstairs we will probably find plaster over wood lath, so we'll just simply sheetrock and paint or wall-paper those rooms. But down here are your masterpiece rooms. Prior to tearing down the interior walls to enlarge solaces, we are going to remove and preserve as much of the shiplap as possible to utilize as replacement pieces on the walls that remain intact or other projects."

Alex spoke up. "But don't you have to go down to the studs to rewire the downstairs? Won't that ruin much of the woodwork?"

"I think we should be able to remove the top and bottom boards which will give us enough room to rewire the house and spray in insulation. The reason Lorna is so excited is this fits in with the plans she had already made for the downstairs. I must say that I'm pretty stoked as well to be able to have so much of the house stay original."

* * *

As days quickly turned into weeks, the renovation project was moving along quickly. It helped to have a good contractor with an excellent team along with a superb designer. This afternoon Piper was meeting with Lorna at the café to go over final paint and wallpaper selections as well as fabric. Any day spent with Lorna was a blessing as the designer was always bubbly and chipper. Piper couldn't help to be tickled even though they had work to do.

Piper and Lorna set up in their regular booth in the back of  _The Place_  with coffee and pastries. Lorna had her ideas book for this project which had now tripled in size. She also had her computer so that Piper could see actual mock-ups of the room. While Lorna's book was thick, she had already made selections of what she felt would fit in each room best.

"Lorna, I don't know why we even bother having these meetings." Piper took a large bite of the muffin she had selected from the front case. "There is never anything I would change."

"Now, now Piper. You are just being nice." Lorna was blushing but the pride she had for her work was obvious. The pair went through all of the remaining design decisions which needed to be made for the completion of the project.

"We will have the names of the rooms finalized this weekend. Tom is bringing his family and Miss Amanda over for lunch Saturday. As soon as we get the go-ahead I will let you know." Piper devoured the rest of her muffin. "And Lorna, there is something else I want to talk with you about. I probably should wait until Alex is here, but I think now is the right time."

Lorna's perpetual smile wavered slightly as a slight look of concern flashed across her face. "Did I do something wrong Piper?"

Piper laughed. "Oh no Lorna, quite the opposite." She pushed her empty muffin wrapper to the center of the table. "That was excellent. Yours?"

Lorna's smile returned as she nodded her head. "You know that's my second love – baking and feeding people."

"I've listened to Nicky rave for months about the breakfasts you cook for her and your other amazing meal creations. And we all know you are a natural hostess. I recall the first time I saw you; you greeted me in the door of my own café in an elf costume!"

"Oh Piper. You are too generous. I just like making people happy." Lorna blushed at Piper's kind words.

"Well as you know there is the carriage house on the grounds that Tom is going to start working on next week as the fine details begin inside the main house. We'd like for you to work even more closely with Tom and make this a place you'd be proud to live in. The outside needs to remain true to the period, but the interior is yours to do with as you please."

Lorna furrowed her eyebrows. "But Piper, I thought this is where your innkeeper was going to live." Neither woman spoke then Lorna's eyes widened in realization. Tears began to form.

"Lorna, Alex and I would like to hire you as our innkeeper – to be responsible for greeting guests, check-in and check-outs, and most importantly breakfast preparation. We can hire other people for maintenance, grounds, etc. to ensure you have time to continue with your design business, but we'd be honored if you would be our innkeeper."

Piper clapped her hands over her ears as Lorna let loose with a squeal of joy. Lorna squirmed out of the booth and was jumping up and down and in circles. Nicky quickly came running over and was perplexed to see her girlfriend crying and laughing at the same time. It took a few moments, but finally Lorna calmed down enough to speak. "Piper, I would love to be your innkeeper." She gave Nicky a big hug then leaned down and smothered Piper who was still sitting in the booth.

* * *

The weather was so beautiful that after lunch, Piper set up coffee out on the back patio. Miss Amanda, Tom, and his wife had joined Alex and Piper for the Saturday meal. The adults were relaxing on the nice summer day watching Suzie and TJ play with the pups who were quickly growing in leaps and bounds.

Suzie and TJ came running up to their parents. Suzie exclaimed, "Mommy, Mommy, watch this." Both kids turned to the yard and yelled. Suzie yelled for Choc and TJ yelled for Peep. "COME!" Both dogs immediately stopped playing with their toys and came racing over to the children. Individually the children went through the basic commands – sit, down, stay, which the dogs did obediently.

Alex muttered under her breath, "That little fuc" – stopping only when Piper stomped on her foot. Alex glared at Piper. "Choc never minds me and Peep only works for treats. It's a dachador conspiracy!"

TJ then said proudly, "Watch this Dad." Turning to Choc, he made a circular motion with his hand and said, "Choc, roll over." The fat chocolate puppy promptly rolled over and leapt back to her feet wriggling with the praise and attention that TJ was bestowing upon her.

"Suzie, TJ – that's awesome. You certainly are further along with the puppies than Alex and I are. You two are great!" Piper praised both of the kids while silently laughing at the disgusted look on Alex's face. The kids both ran inside to get sodas then sat playing with the puppies near the adults.

"I'm sure Tom has been keeping you abreast of the progress on the house. There are a few final details Al and I would like to talk to you about. As you know, we decided to call the mansions, Founder's Inn. I think with the history that we have uncovered, your family documents, newspaper articles, etc. that Founder's Inn is an excellent name." While she was talking to all of the adults, Piper's focus was Miss Amanda who was nodding her head in agreement.

Alex spoke next. "We need to decide on names for each of the suites upstairs. Piper and I thought the larger two room suite could be called the Donovan Suite. We would like to name one suite after Grandma Suzanna and another after Aunt Mary. So those would be Suite Suzanna and Suite Mary. What do you think?"

Amanda wiped tears from the corner of her eyes. "I love it. I think that Grandma Suzanna would be very proud of what you two young ladies are doing with her house." The other adults nodded. Suzie saw her grandmother crying and stood up at the side of her chair, with a comforting hand on her namesakes' arm.

Piper spoke again. "So we have four suites and three names. This is where we need your input. We want all of the names to have meaning to the community as well as to your family."

Little Suzie was the first to break the silence as she piped up. "Why don't you call it Suite Amanda?" The small tears leaking from Amanda's eyes turned into streams as she patted her granddaughter's hand.

Piper looked at Alex who nodded in agreement. "Suite Amanda it is."


	28. Forced Vacation

Piper held her head in her hands and moaned. "God this is all giving me a headache. Why can't it all just be over?" She slammed her fist on the table and looked up at Alex who was hovering over her at the kitchen bar.

"I don't know about you Pipes, but I'm ready for a vacation. Can we just disappear? I mean you did it once and it worked out pretty good."

Piper sat up and glared at Alex. "Not funny Al. Not funny. But a vacation does sound great."

Alex chuckled. "Anyhow, I'm headed out to the lake. I know Lorna is working on decorating the main house while Tom is finishing the rough touches on the carriage house."

"I will just let you do that. I need to drop by and approve the final website layout and some various random things." Piper pulled herself to her feet and kissed her girlfriend on the cheek. "Take the dogs?"

Alex rolled her eyes. "You mean the heathens? Sure. Peep, Choc - let's go." When they both came running, Alex scoffed. "Oh, so NOW you understand me." She snapped on their leashes and loaded them into her Jeep.

* * *

When she pulled up to the property at the lake, Alex was relieved to see TJ and Suzie playing outside. Alex unclipped the dogs' leashes as she lifted the dogs to the ground. Choc and Peep made a beeline for their favorite playmates. Alex waved at the kids and made her way into the main house.

"Lorna!" Alex called out, listening for noise that might indicate where she might find the decorator.

The high-pitched accented voice came drifting down from upstairs. "Up here Alex."

After adjusting the placement of some of the furniture, Alex bound up the stairs, taking in the sights. She found Lorna in the two room Donovan suite, hanging pictures of various generations of Donovans and photos of older buildings in a much younger town. "This is really coming together Lorna. I love what you've done with the spaces."

Lorna beamed at Alex's praises. "Why thank you Alex. I'm so excited about how everything is turning out."

Alex returned Lorna's smile. "I rearranged some of the furniture downstairs before I came up. I think it flows better and gives it a homier feel."

The grin fell from Lorna's face. "You did what Alex? You can't do that. The layouts were carefully planned out and everything is placed for a reason."

"But I think it looks better this way." Alex's confusion seemed genuine.

Lorna brushed passed Alex and whooshed down the stairs. "Alex. No! Just no! Please just put things back. I can't have you messing with my design. Yous guys hired me to make this place look its best. Please just trust me." Alex followed Lorna down the stairs with a sullen look on her face as she began to put things back in their original positions.

"Please don't get upset Lorna. I just want to help."

Lorna seemed exasperated. "I can tell you how to help Alex. The project deadline is two weeks away. How about you let me work? Take your girlfriend on a nice vacation or something where you won't be tempted to come over here and change things. Go now - shoosh!" Lorna made a brushing motion with her hands indicating Alex should leave.

Alex's eyes grew wide. "Really? You are kicking me out?"

"I love you Alex but yes." Lorna gently led Alex to the door. "Go, relax, you are way too uptight." Lorna's voice became bright again. "Then I can get some work done!"

* * *

Alex grumbled as she walked down the stairs and went over to the carriage house. Tom's crew was diligently working on key aspects of that design and it appeared as though it was about time for the interior touches such as paint, cabinets, etc. She caught Tom's attention and he climbed down from his ladder.

"Why so sullen Alex?" Tom laughed as he pulled down his mask. He knew Alex could pout better than both his kids combined.

"Well I think Lorna just kicked me off the property until it's done."

Tom chuckled. "What did you do, mess with her design?" Alex nodded. "I made the mistake of doing that once. Boy I'll never do that again. So you have been banned, eh? Maybe that's a good thing. You and Piper never seem to take any time for yourselves and there's no telling when you might have time to once this place opens up. Never can tell what direction it will take."

"You think so?" Alex looked up at Tom who nodded. "I have a problem though. It seems as though I have these two dogs living with me." She looked at him hopefully.

Tom threw his head back and laughed. "I'm sure the kids would love to watch them. Just drop their stuff off at the house. And Alex, everything will be okay here. It's only two weeks."

"I guess this means Piper and I are going on vacation. Thanks Tom."

* * *

After a few minutes of searching, Alex found TJ and Suzie with the dogs down by the lake. When TJ saw Alex, he began to pout. "It's time for them to go already?" He threw his arms around Choc's neck and buried his face in her fur. "We just got started."

Alex knelt next to TJ, placing her arm on his back. "Hey TJ. What would you say about you and Suzie taking care of the brats for Piper and me for a few weeks?"

TJ lifted his head, flashing a gap toothed grin. "Seriously Alex?"

"Seriously TJ. Suzie what do you think? I'll pay you $5 per day to take care of the girls."

TJ was nodding his head furiously when his sister piped up. "$5 each Alex, and you have yourself a deal."

Alex laughed at the precocious child and agreed to her terms. "Okay Suzie, $5 each, per day. But you have to take care of them, feed them, walk them, and play with them. Not your parents or the deal is off. Okay?" Both kids agreed. "Great. How about you keep them now and we will bring their stuff by before we leave."

Alex left the happy children and returned to her Jeep.

* * *

Piper had made headway at the web designer's office. They had settled on a final design which he would have up within the week so that it would be live a week prior to the grand opening. She arranged for him to go take pictures of the house and each suite. There would be a booking calendar and a reservation form directly on the site to make things as simple as possible for people interested in staying at the bed and breakfast.

When she returned home, she was pleased to see Alex was home. However, when Piper opened the door, she was shocked to not be greeted by the two balls of fur that normally gleefully attacked her. The house seemed silent. "Al? Are you home?"

Alex's voice sounded from their bedroom. "Up here Pipes."

"Where are the girls?" Piper asked as she made her way up the stairs. As she turned to walk into the bedroom, she saw two carry-on sized suitcases laying open on the bed. "Uhhhh Alex, what's going on?"

"The dogs are with the kids. And we are going on vacation."

"What? What about the house?"

"Lorna kicked me off the project. I think I was getting in her way. She doesn't want to see either of us until the grand opening."

Piper laughed as she sat down on the bed. "Oh my. What did you do Al?"

Alex looked sheepish. "I might have moved some furniture, suggesting it improved the flow."

"You didn't!" Alex nodded. "No wonder she kicked you out. Two weeks, huh? Plans?"

"Yes! I miss Blue. We have that awesome house in Key West and haven't been back. So I think I need to go give my Blue some lovin'."

Piper began to pull clothes out of drawers to pack her bag. She knew of Alex's love of old Mustangs and that love extended to other old cars, so she started to make mental plans for another surprise for Alex.

* * *

After their arrival in the small island, the pair took a taxi to their house. Piper had called ahead to a service to have the windows opened to air out the house, things cleaned, and the kitchen stocked with fresh food. She did not want to waste any of their time with such mundane tasks. Since she had liquidated many of the monies she had spent time wisely investing and squirreling away, Piper decided that it was well within her right to spend it. She had finally overcome her survivor's guilt and rightly so.

Because the house was in tip top shape upon arrival, most of the afternoon and evening was spent driving Blue around the island. Alex had already made plans later in the week for a full day of driving up US-1 all the way to Key Largo, two and a half hours each way. Being outdoors in this manner was so much freedom compared to being cooped up in the café or stressing about the bed and breakfast.

Piper was left to planning beach days along with the special surprise she had for Alex. There were multiple beaches on the island and she planned a day for them to visit each one, either packing a picnic lunch or dining at a nearby eatery. The two women simply relaxed in the heat of the sun without a care in the world. Piper even convinced Alex to leave the cell phones at the house on their beach days.

* * *

"Alex."

"Out here Pipes." Alex was having her usual morning coffee on the deck.

"Hey babe." Piper wrapped her arms around Alex, kissing her on the back of her neck. "I need you to pack a bag."

Alex put her coffee on the side table and craned her head around so she could see Piper. "I do  _not_  want to go into Miami Piper. It's so calm here and relaxing. We are on island time."

Piper raised her eyebrows. "Al."

Alex frowned in return. "Seriously Pipes? Where are we going? Can you at least tell me that much?"

Piper shook her head as she kissed Alex again. "Nope. Pack for one night. Just use my bag on the bed. Be ready to leave in 15 minutes. This isn't up for discussion."

Alex grumbled as she drained her coffee and went to pack a bag.

Alex was cutting it close but walked out of the house with a few minutes to spare. As she turned to lock the house, she caught sight of Piper standing by a taxi. "Can't we just take Blue?" Piper was silent and motioned Alex to get in the back of the taxi. "Seriously Piper? Why are you being all James Bond and secretive about this?"

Piper pulled Alex over to her and gave her a long kiss. "You'll need this." She slapped Alex's passport into her hand.

Alex gave up asking questions on their short drive and sat sullen against her side of the taxi. Her interest peaked when the taxi pulled up to the main dock, and Piper exited the car after she paid the driver. Piper still was silent but grabbed Alex's hand and guided her down to one of the slips to a private charter boat. A younger man stood at the entrance and greeted Piper. "Ms. Chapman. Good to see you again." He turned to Alex. "And I presume you are Ms. Vause. Welcome." Turning back to Piper he asked. "Do you have all of your paperwork?" She handed him a folder and assured him it was all in order. "We each have our passports which I was told need to stay on our persons." He nodded and allowed them to board.

Once on board, he introduced the crew and gave them a quick tour. "The trip should not take more than two hours. We'll be underway shortly."

Alex and Piper settled on the shaded deck. One of the crew brought them pina coladas and a tray of freshly cut fruit. Alex leaned forward to spear a chuck of pineapple with her toothpick. "So Piper. Where are we off to on this mysterious trip? You know, the Minnow was only supposed to be on a two-hour tour, too, and looked what happened to them." Alex laughed at her own joke.

"Very funny Alex. Patience."

* * *

A few drinks later and a few hours in open water, Alex looked out and could see land in the distance. As she watched, more details came into view. Her confusion mounted as what she could see did not match anything she was thinking. Art deco buildings matched the Miami South Beach scene, but the place seemed far too small to be a major city like Miami. And then she saw the cars. Every single car was a prime condition classic American car. She spotted a mint green 1952 Cadillac along with a quintessential soft yellow 1957 Chevy Bel Air four-door sedan.

As the captain pulled up to the dock, all of the things Alex saw made sense. The sign read, "Bienvenidos a Habana, Cuba!"


	29. Cuba!

Alex's eyes were glued on the classic cars driving the streets of Havana. Piper reached over and acted like she was closing Alex's mouth then mopped at the corner as if Alex was drooling. "Well Alex, what do you think about an overnight trip in Havana?"

Alex grabbed her girlfriend in a fierce hug, swinging her around the boat. "Piper, how did you manage this? I thought travel to Cuba was still restricted."

"I have my ways." Piper grinned at Alex. The captain finished tying off the boat, collected Piper's folder and the passports from both women and disembarked, leaving the rest of the crew and the women. "Since Cuba isn't exactly open to pure tourism, we are on people-to-people visas. The idea is to meet Cuban people and to exchange, talk about life in the United States, learn about life in Cuba. The captain has some extended family here who is going to host us and serve as a guide."

Alex was utterly excited she could barely contain her glee. "This is so going to rock! I have the best girlfriend ever." Alex turned her attention back to the land, watching the cars and examining the gorgeous Spanish architecture of the buildings. Her appreciation of the culture that was visible from the boat was evident.

Eventually the captain returned, grabbed their bag, and helped them off the charter. "Everything cleared ladies. This way." He meandered around the fishing traps and equipment scattered about the pier. "My uncle should be waiting for us. Actually Piper, I have to thank you for the opportunity to make my first trip to Cuba. I am first generation American, but my heritage is Cuban through and through. Ahhhh there is Uncle Carlito."

There was an older gentleman wearing a wide-brimmed straw hat, a Guayabera, and loose cotton pants leaning up against the yellow 1957 Chevy Bel Air four-door sedan that Alex had seen earlier. As the trio walked up, a grin broader than then man's hat spread across his face. "¡Mi sobrino! Usted es la viva imagen de su madre." His pride was evident as he hugged his nephew.

The captain blushed as he hugged his uncle. "Mi madre envía a su amor." Turning to Piper and Alex, he said, "Esto es Piper y Alex," motioning to each woman in turn.

Carlito took Piper's hand and gently raised it to his lips then repeated the gesture with Alex. "Es perfect for me to work on English, no?"

Piper laughed and patted herself on the chest. "Mi español es muy malo."

The captain laughed along with her. "This will be good for all of you. My uncle owns a tobacco plantation and has many contacts to expose you to Cuban culture. Many of his employees have school age children who want to learn about the United State in hopes of being able to emigrate there some day. Don't let Uncle Carlito fool you. His English is quite better than he lets on." Both men laughed.

* * *

Once the uncle and nephew said their goodbyes, Carlito placed their bag in the trunk of the car. Piper crawled into the back seat, Alex admired the tall fins and chrome trim of the vehicle as she walked to the passenger side. "You like cars, si?"

Alex slid into the smooth leather seats, grinning at Carlito as she gently shut the door. "Yes. Mi… ehhhh novia," Alex motioned to Piper in the back, "gave me a 1964 ½ convertible Mustang".

"Ahhhhh yes. I know that car very well. You must treat her well, your novia, to get a gift such as that." Alex blushed. "Well Alex, who has good tastes in cars, I hope you enjoy Cuba. First we shall go to the farm, maybe smoke a good cigar. I have quite a treat for you tonight back in the city."

As they slowly wound their way through the old town, the car windows were down despite the humid salty air. Pretty much at every corner in Havana Vieja someone was be playing some great music – either on a portable radio or even someone sitting on a stoop with a guitar. Periodically, Carlito would pause to allow the women to listen to the tunes. Soon they were out of the city and on the open road. Carlito pointed to the corner fence post that marked the boundary of his farm. A few miles later, he turned down a long, dusty driveway to a beautiful colonial style house. There was a large tobacco barn in the distance and various farm implements scattered in between.

Carlito hopped out of his car. "Bienviendo a mi casa!"

* * *

After showing Piper and Alex to the room in which they would stay and allowing them some time to freshen up, their kind Cuban host gave them a tour of his tobacco farm, ending in the barn. During the tour, he explained the lure of Cuban cigars. "Our cigars have one single ingredient, Cuban tobacco, which is grown best in this region of the island. Our country's cigar traditions go back to the 1500's and rolling methods have not changed in one hundred years." While Carlito's English was still heavily accented, his nephew was right. He knew more of the language than he first let on.

In the barn, Alex was amazed at the areas set up to cure the tobacco once it was harvested from the fields. Larger, darker leaves were in one section while longer strip leaves were in another. As they were led into a separate area, she was shocked to see rows of men and women bent over tables, twisting handfuls of thin tobacco leaves in their hands, tearing them and pulling them into just the right shape. Once a sufficient amount was arranged, the cigar master, as Carlito called his workers, would place the bundle diagonally on a larger sheet of tobacco and tightly roll into the familiar looking cigar shape, working the roll back and forth until the larger sheet was tight and smooth. One end was then cut off with a device mounted onto the table and that end was moistened to keep it from unravelling. The other end was left slightly rough as the cigar was again rolled back and forth to ensure its tightness.

The cigar maker reached for another, even smoother sheet of tobacco which was kept under a moist towel. Now the worker was extra cautious as he trimmed this sheet then rolled the cigar into this outer wrapping as this would be the final product and it had to be perfect. After completion, the perfect cigar would be stacked upon other perfect specimens. In total, the process took about five minutes.

While Piper respected the trade and could appreciate the hard work that went into this long standing traditional Cuban trade, it was Alex that was enthralled. "How long does it take to learn how to do this?"

Carlito found her question humorous. "Our best masters train up to six years to perfect their trade. Would you like to try?" No sooner did the words escape his mouth was Alex around behind the table. "This is Filberto, my best trainer. Good luck. By the way Alex, he doesn't speak any English." With a few words of Spanish to his other workers, a slight bit of laughter rippled through them. Many stood up and made a loose circle to watch as Piper took out her cell phone to video this. "Nicky is going to get a kick out of this," she murmured under her breath.

Thirty minutes later, an exasperated Filberto threw up his hands. By this time, the rest of the workers had bored of watching Alex struggle and had gone back to work. It took all of Piper's strength to not laugh at her partner. The master trainer finally reached around Alex, placed his hands over hers and finished the final rolls of the outer tobacco sheet. Alex looked down, grinning at her loose, misshapen semi-stiff cigar. After profusely thanking Filberto, Carlito, Piper and Alex made their way back to the main house, Alex proudly carrying what might possibly pass for a cigar.

As they sat on the porch, Alex exclaimed, "That was awesome. I think I did a pretty good job for a beginner. Now the first cigar I ever smoke will be a Cuban one I rolled myself." She reached for Carlito's cigar cutter and lighter.

Carlito roared with laughter as he placed his hand atop hers to stop her. "Oh no Alex. Let's call that your souvenir. Something that loose may light but it will never stay lit long enough to smoke." He handed her a properly rolled cigar, explained how to properly cut and light it. And the two enjoyed a long smoke together.

Piper had gotten a kick out of watching the workers all politely try not to outright laugh at Alex, but Alex enjoyed herself which is what was important. "So Carlito, you said we were going back into the city tonight. What do you have in store for us?"

"Ahhh pretty lady. You will see! In fact, it is almost time to leave. In the city we shall dine, visit Barrio Chino then the treat. Let's say twenty minutes?"

As Piper and Alex freshened up in their room, Piper spun Alex around and wrapped her arms tightly around Alex's waist. "You looked pretty sexy rolling that cigar babe. I think you have a new career ahead of you." Alex narrowed her eyes at the blonde's teasing. "Hey, did Carlito say Barrio Chino? Isn't that Chinatown? Do you seriously think Havana has a Chinatown?"

"I suppose I've seen stranger things," Alex laughed. "Or have I?"

* * *

As the trio drove back into town Carlito explained his vision for the rest of the women's short visit. The next morning would be spent talking to the older offspring of the workers who they had met today, sharing stories about the United States and talking about life and opportunities there. He had also arranged for some of the young adults to take Piper and Alex through the city, perhaps to a shopping area or to Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes.

As they again wound through the streets of Havana, Carlito began to tell about the huge Chinese community of Cuba. He pulled up to a curb. "But there are no Chinese people left. In fact, what is left today is just about two blocks of Chinese restaurants."

Alex was finally learning what a jokester Carlito was. She poked him in the side. "You really had us going. Barrio Chino, yeah right!"

"No Alex. I am actually serious. Perhaps you will believe me if we eat Chinese tonight." He went to put his car in park. He glanced in the rear view mirror and saw the look of shock on Piper's face. "Relax. I am kidding Ms. Chapman. Tonight we shall dine on traditional Cubano fare."

True to his word, Piper and Alex dined on what could only be described as the best Cuban fare on the face of the planet. Despite being almost too stuffed to walk, Carlito once again loaded the pair into his car and drove to his next destination.

"This, my ladies, is the fortress La Cabaña. The view of Havana by night is most amazing. They wandered around for a while, looking at various exhibits and appreciating the scenery. As it grew closer to 9, Carlito guided them towards the gates. "The ceremony of "el cañonazo de las nueve"," he said. "This is a tradition that has taken place for centuries." Piper was in awe as soldiers dressed in the traditional costumes of the 18th century shot off cannons. As the noise died down, Carlito explained, "the cannons are to warn that it is time to close the city gates, to protect Havana from its enemies. We are a country staunch in tradition."

By the time Alex and Piper made it to bed, they were exhausted. Alex laid on her back and held Piper who snuggled into her side. "This has been amazing Pipes. We have done so much in such a short time. And just think, we have almost twice as much time tomorrow!"

"I know Al. I'm glad you are enjoying this. Carlito is a great host. We definitely need to invite him and his family to the states for a stay in Founder's Inn. I'm sure his extended family would love to come as well and catch up." Alex murmured her agreement. "I cannot imagine not being able to see your family in so long, knowing they are physically so close." Piper reached around her shoulder and pulled Alex's arm tighter. "What would you do?"

Piper paused for Alex's answer. "Alex?" Piper pushed herself up slowly onto one elbow to look at her girlfriend. "Alex?" She whispered softly. Alex answered with a quite snore. She had fallen right asleep. "So much for conversation," Piper thought to herself as she wrapped her arm around Alex's stomach. "Good night Al."

* * *

Both women woke early the next morning. Of course it was an easier task than normal since there were no window coverings and the farm's roosters seemed to reside directly beneath their open window. Alex and Piper quickly cleaned up and made their way to the front porch which seemed to be the center of the gatherings in the household.

At the table stood the traditional Cuban café con leche, basket of tostadas, and a large fruit bowl. Alex gratefully sipped her coffee mix while Piper chose to immediately dig into the fruit. Soon, the screen door opened and a rotund woman came out with steaming plates of scrambled eggs, potatoes and bacon. Through her broken Spanish, Piper learned that Ezmerelda was Carlito's wife, and he had gone to check the fields.

Ezmerelda was extremely pleasant as she sat and ate breakfast with Alex and Piper. She must have mistaken Piper's attempt at communication as Piper being fluent in the language as she chattered away. As Piper caught bits and pieces of what Ezmerelda was saying, she nodded and laughed as it took every ounce of concentration she had to comprehend what she was being told.

To Alex she said, "apparently after we finish breakfast, we are to go to the barn. The kids we are meeting will be there in about an hour." Ezmerelda happily nodded her head and headed back into the kitchen.

Alex pushed her glasses back up on her head. "Pipes, I think you've just been played again."

Piper pouted as she muttered. "I needed to practice my Spanish anyway."

* * *

As planned, the couple spent the morning with the youth talking about life in the U.S., comparing it to what they had seen thus far of Cuba. They talked about their café at home and the bed and breakfast they were finishing up. The kids were amazed that two women could be such successful business persons.

Piper found it difficult to explain how vastly different parts of the U.S. were from other parts. She tried to explain in broad terms about the east coast versus the west coast, the Gulf region versus the mid-west. Finally, Alex explained that the U.S. was nearly 90 times the size of the island of Cuba. This alone was unfathomable to the worker's children. Yet they listened to everything Alex and Piper said, soaking it in and asked many excellent questions.

Soon it was time for the pair to say goodbye to the workers and their children. Back at the farm house, Piper and Alex gave their thanks and farewells to Ezmerelda who let them know that Carlito would meet them at the pier before they left.

Two of the older youth were responsible for taking Alex and Piper into town for their short excursions of the must see sites of Havana. Alex browsed through a lovely book market in the center of Plaza de Armas, the oldest square in the city while Piper posed for cool pictures with several of the women in traditional Cuban garb carrying baskets of various goods for sale such as fruit and flowers.

As Alex and Piper slowed due to the heat and high humidity, the youth found some guarapo – a good dose of sugar to recharge their batteries. They all watched as the vendor squeezed pure sugarcane juice directly into cups. When Piper made a face at the particularly sweet drink, the boy with them squeezed in some fresh lime to cut the sweetness.

In the shopping market, Piper found some souvenirs to take home as well as some small gifts for their workers and Tom's family. Alex became frustrated when the youth refused to allow her to purchase cigars and Cuban rum to take home. She tried to explain that she knew how much she and Piper could each take back legally, but the youth were adamant against those purchases.

* * *

As the sun began to approach the horizon, the two youth and two weary travelers made their wait to the pier to meet Carlito and the charter boat to take them back to Key West. The ever smiling Carlito met them and dismissed the kids who had been their escorts throughout the afternoon.

"Ahhh my new friends. How did you like my country?"

The three visited as they waited for the boat. Piper and Alex invited Carlito to the states to visit. Piper let him know that if he and his family needed help with visas, that she would be more than happy to assist with her contacts.

Alex was trying not to be too pouty that she was not going to take home a bounty in Cuban cigars and run. Finally Carlito turned to her and questioned, "My pretty Alex. Why are you so glum? Did you not enjoy your time?"

Alex forced a smile. "Not at all Carlito. I had a fabulous time. We both did. I'm just disappointed to not be taking home any famous Cuban cigars or rum."

Carlito had a twinkle in his eye as he opened up the trunk of his car. He extracted their overnight bag and passed it to Piper. To Alex he handed a woven bag. "My gift to you and your novia, mi amigas nuevas." Alex peeked in to see two bundles wrapped in burlap along with some papers. She looked at Carlito questioningly. "Cigars freshly rolled from my farm and the finest rum my country has to offer. The papers certify that your gifts are within limits for personal use for two guests leaving the country. Having you in my home has been a pleasure."

Now Alex's grin was larger than the one she had first seen on Carlito's face when he first saw his nephew. "Thank you Carlito. This means so much. You have shown more hospitality to us in two days than many Americans show in a lifetime. Please let us know once you obtain your visa. Piper and I love for you to visit our small town so that we can return your generosity."

Soon Piper and Alex's ride arrived. After some extended goodbyes, the captain again steered his ship into international waters back towards Key West. Alex pulled the two burlap packages out of the bag and stared at them lovingly before placing them back in. As she did so, she paused and extracted two loose cigars at the bottom of the bag with a note, a cigar cutter, and a box of matches. "Para mi sobrino y tu … for your ride home." Alex grinned as she made her way forward to the captain's deck to share a pair of the finest cigars in the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize to my Spanish speaking readers for my absolute butchering of your language. For my Cuban readers, I offer the same apology to you if I misrepresented your fine country. I am looking forward to visit there someday soon.


	30. Grade Opening

Piper folded the last of the clothes and placed them carefully in the bag. Because the bottle of Cuban rum was definitely larger than the liquid allowance for carry-on luggage, it had to travel in checked baggage. Alex made a trip to a local liquor store to get them to box the rum so that it would travel well. This package and the cigars went into a cushioned bag that they purchased to transport their treasured gifts back to Donovan. Alex wasn't sure of the regulations behind transporting the Cuban goods, so she made sure that the paperwork Carlito had provided was readily accessible in the bag.

Piper locked up the house as Alex as covered Blue and put her to "bed" in the garage. A taxi came to collect them and return them to the airport for their trip home. After checking in their luggage and passing through security, Alex sat next to Piper as they waited to board. She wrapped her arm around Piper's shoulder to allow Piper to snuggle in close.

"This break is just what we needed Pipes. I am so glad we decided to keep this property. It's in an awesome location and was perfect for our insta-vacation. And your surprise excursion to Cuba was priceless. How do I deserve a girlfriend such as yourself?"

"Luck!" Piper giggled as she reached up and kissed the bottom edge of Alex's chin. "Maybe the girls would be interested in coming out to the house for a vacation." Alex murmured her agreement.

* * *

Seeing Tom's truck there, Alex pulled up to the younger Griffith's house to get an update on Founder's Mansion and to retrieve the dogs. Suzie opened the door and happily greeted Alex. "Alex!" She quickly realized that Alex's presence meant that she was probably picking up the dogs. A pout quickly enveloped her normally cheerful face.

"Hey Suzie! How were the pups? Did they give you any trouble?" She reached down and tickled Suzie's sides to get her to cheer up.

"No silly! We taught them tricks though!"

Alex bent down to Suzie's level. "You did? You know, they don't mind me. Did you teach them to mind me?" Suzie giggled. "Is your brother home?" Suzie let Alex into the house as she went to get her brother who was with the dogs in the backyard.

Alex heard the dogs before she saw them. They came galloping into the front room, skidding to a halt near Alex. They were ecstatic to see her and showed her with their furious licking and whining.

"Choc, sit. Peep, sit." TJ barked his commands and the dogs immediately complied. They were still wiggling, but they were no longer in Alex's face.

Seeing the kids' interaction with the dogs warmed Alex's heart. "You two have been pretty busy I see."

"Yeah," TJ nodded. "They learn quick! Do they have to go home now?" Alex nodded. "That's okay. A new video game is coming out this weekend that I have my eye on!"

"Scheming child!" Alex pulled out a roll of five dollar bills she had collected at the bank before dropping by. Both of the kids were in front of her with grins from ear to ear. "How many days were we gone? Ten?"

"Nooooo!" Both of the kids squealed together. "Thirteen," TJ announced.

"Thirteen and a HALF!" Suzie emphasized.

"A half?" Alex teased. She took one of the fives and acted like she was going to tear it in half. TJ looked mortified. "Naw, let's just call it fourteen." Both children were wiggling much like the pups. In front of each kid, she counted out fourteen crisp five dollar bills.

TJ stacked his bills in a tight stack and laughed manically. Holding his stack in one hand, he used his other to flip the bills into the air one at a time. "Make it rain baby!" Alex just shook her head.

The pair of kids took the dogs through their paces to show Alex the training they had learned the past two weeks. Alex then clipped the leads on the dogs and loaded them into the Jeep.

* * *

At home, Alex was semi-successful in showing Piper the tricks and commands Suzie and TJ had trained the dogs over the past two weeks. "Al, that's great! We need to keep working on that."

"Hmmmpft. I think it'd be easier to keep paying the kids."

Piper playfully pushed Alex's shoulder. "Wimp. Anyway, I talked to Lorna and everything on the property is complete, even the carriage house. Good thing, too, since the grand opening is Saturday."

"I saw the website is up." Alex plopped down on the couch. "I had Nicky learn how to monitor things and to take reservations since we were gone and Lorna was still working on the house." Alex told Piper that Nicky even released the website URL to the news station for their last in the series before the grand opening. "We are already fully booked for the next month!"

* * *

The newscaster and her film-crew set up for one last live news shot before the grand opening. With Amanda, Tom, and Suzie on one side of the porch and Piper and Lorna on the other. They were the backdrop of the newscast. As she received her cue to start talking, the woman started on the porch and walked down.

"After weeks of renovations the historic house here on Lake Donovan, the owners Founder's Inn will stand proudly alongside community leaders on June 18th to celebrate the grand opening of the bed and breakfast. This date hallmarks the first days of summer as well as ancestors of the Donovan family to create a unique concept in lodging by showcasing local foods, services, and suppliers and focusing on the region with all of the wonderful amenities it has to offer within a home filled with nostalgia and history."

"Guests attending the Grand Opening will sample and view items such as chocolate, teas, syrup, cheese, meats, baked goods, and toiletries which are just a few of the offerings from the towns of Donovan, Drewton, and surrounding communities. These items will be part of a paying customers visit." "When a guest makes a reservation at Founder's Inn from the moment they walk through the door, they are surrounded by local comforts and begin to create a memory unique to the area and the home."

"The red ribbon cutting will take place on the porch over-looking Lake Donovan. This celebration will provide a time to reflect on the many persons whose contributions which made the bed and breakfast successful."

As the cameras switched off, the audience softly clapped. Amanda excitedly spoke. "This is all so exciting. Grandma Suzanna and Aunt Mary would be so proud. Oh Piper thank you so much for this." She struggled up from her chair and went to Piper, wrapping her arms around her squeezing her hard. "I can't wait until Saturday."

* * *

On the day of the Grand Opening, everything was perfectly in place. There would be no speeches as with the ground breaking ceremony. The ribbon would be cut and tours of the grounds given along with access to the bounty of local goods that the bed and breakfast would source for guests.

Piper and Alex were quite pleased at the turn-out. The small crowd, particularly the people who had been at the ground breaking, was impressed with the renovations. Each person involved from Tom to Amanda to Lorna was kept busy with people clamoring to talk to them. Tom, in particular, was excited because he ran out of the stack of business cards he had stuck in his pocket at the last minute.

Leaning over to Alex, he whispered, "I already have two appointments for job bids next week." He was proud of not only the work he had done on his family home but also that his reputation had been restored. His spirits were definitely much higher than when he had initially met Alex and Piper.

* * *

By mid-afternoon Alex and Piper started to shoo people off the property. Each suite was booked, and check-in was at 3:00 pm. So Lorna had asked to have at least half hour to make sure the house and rooms were properly cleaned for guests. Soon only the Griffiths remained, and everyone was exhaustedly lounging on the front porch.

Piper looked questioningly at Alex as they heard a car drive into the lot on the side of the house. Doors slammed and steps on the gravel announced someone's arrival. Kristie and Toni rounded the corner and bound up the steps. Kristie engulfed Piper in a hug before Piper could even fully get out of her chair. Toni threw down the duffel she was carrying and gave Alex a hug.

Piper was flabbergasted. "Toni! Celeste! What a great surprise. What are you doing here?" She motioned to the bag Toni had carried to the porch. "What's this?"

Kristie looked at Toni and then back at Piper. "I believe we have booked Suite Amanda for a few days."

Piper's eyes widened. "Really?! You are our first guests? That's amazing. How did you get booked?"

"Nicky hooked us up. So here we are. Where do we check in?"

When Tom stood up, Alex asked, "You aren't leaving already are you?"

He laughed and shook his head. "I'm just getting our bags."

Now Alex and Piper were really confused. "What?"

"Well  _we_  have booked the Donovan Suite and Suite Suzanna for the opening weekend as well." Tom's eyes were sparkling as Alex and Piper were obviously caught off-guard.

"Well fuck," Alex exclaimed. "Nicky is a sneaky one. Who the hell has our last room?" Alex picked up her phone and dialed the wild haired woman. "Nicky! Our guests are starting to show up. Shifty, shifty." Alex paused to listen. "Well Kristie and the Griffith clan so far. Who else should we expect?" … "Ugh! Nicky, you are an ass." Alex hung up the phone. "She's on her way. I don't know what's up with her."

* * *

Piper took Kristie and Toni in to help Lorna get them registered and settled into their room. Kristie got a kick out of learning that Lorna and Nicky were still together. Once the paperwork was complete, Lorna gave them her first ever guest tour of the house. Kristie and Toni settled in their room then joined the rest of the people back out on the porch.

Lorna had brought out a large pitcher of lemonade with tall frosty glasses to quench everyone's thirst. She definitely was right in her element playing the hostess. Tom had called the kids over from where they were playing with the dogs by the lake front. They gulped down their lemonade and took off again.

Soon, Nicky showed up. As she rounded the corner, she raised her arms and announced, "I have arrived!" She greeted everyone in turn.

Alex glared at Nicky. "So why didn't you tell us that our first guests were special guests?"

Nicky laughed. "You were on vacation, busy I'm sure." She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"Sooo... who is the last guest?"

Nicky tapped both fists on her chests. "Me, baby! I wouldn't miss it for the world." Her audience laughed.

"Well in celebration of our successful grand opening and our full house, I have some things to share from our trip." Alex retrieved the humidor she had purchased in Cuba and passed around cigars for those who chose to smoke and poured small sipping sips of Cuban rum for those who chose to imbibe. Then she and Piper shared stories of their vacation in Florida and Cuba as the group enjoyed elusive Cuban treats.

Founder's Inn was officially open.


	31. Missing Money

Piper rolled over in the small bed and looked at Alex who was softly snoring next to her. Their afternoon nap had lasted a wee bit longer than expected. The events of the past few weeks had been tiresome so the quick snooze was just what the couple needed. Piper leaned over her girlfriend and pulled her ebony hair to one side leaving her neck bare, perfect for kissing. She pressed her lips against Alex's skin and gently kissed up and down her neck. Alex stirred only slightly, so Piper changed her approach and straddled Alex to give herself access to Alex's lean, muscled back.

Alex unconsciously snuggled further into the bed as Piper lowered some of her weight onto Alex's legs, right below her ass. Slipping her hands beneath Alex's tank, Piper began gently kneading Alex's shoulders and back muscles. Alex let out a low rumbling groan. "I'll give you exactly two hours to stop that." Piper continued to massage for a bit until Alex was fully awake. Alex wriggled her body over so that she could see Piper who continued her rubdown on the front of Alex's shoulders and then down to her generous breasts. Alex's eyes rolled back in her head. "Damn Pipes. Have I told you I love you today?"

Piper smiled as she slipped down next to Alex on the tiny full size bed, trying to make more room for herself. It wouldn't be quite so bad except the two growing pooches hogging room at the foot of the bed. "We need to get Kristie and Toni a larger bed!" Because of the waiting list on bookings at Founder's Inn, they had yet to actually stay at their property. However, Kristie and Toni had given them carte blanche access to their cabin on the lake while business at Founder's Inn was ramping up so that Alex and Piper could be close. Neither woman doubted Lorna's abilities, they simply did not want to be far because they were excited about their new venture and wanted to be involved as much as possible without overstepping their boundaries.

Alex turned to her side to face Piper and kissed her partner deeply. "Mmmm we do because having a woman like you in a bed this small is just a travesty of justice." Alex shifted and threw a leg over Piper, pulling her closer. "I guess we'll just have to get as chummy as possible."

This brought a smirk from Piper. "Excuses, excuses. But, seriously. How did I get so lucky?"

Alex sucked Piper's earlobe into her mouth and mumbled something intelligible.

"I mean, you are the perfect girlfriend. We have a perfect café that is doing splendidly. Then there is Founder's Inn. "

Alex shifted and started rubbing Piper's stomach. "Mmmm Pipes?"

"Yeah?"

"Why are you talking?" Before Piper could answer, Alex covered her mouth with her own and silenced Piper immediately.

* * *

"Last call!" Boo bellowed to the patrons remaining in the café. She chuckled under her breath. "I've always wanted to say that." Boo then went around to each table to see if the customers needed something else as they finished their coffee before closing time.

Boo had been keeping her eye on one particular lone patron. She had had only seen him in The Place once before. His demeanor and ragged clothing gave her the creeps. As the other time she had seen him, he ordered a single cup of black coffee and sat alone nursing it until closing time. She did not want to stereotype him but determined it was good to err on the side of caution. Watching him would not hurt anything.

Boo stuck her head in the office where Celeste was working on the books. Celeste was sitting with her head in her hands. When Boo walked in, she leaned back in the office chair and slammed the ledger book closed in frustration. "Hey now, what did that book do ever to you? It's nearly quitting time bud. Whatever is in those pages can wait."

"Hell Boo, no it can't. The accounting is all screwed up." Boo pulled up a chair and straddled it next to her best friend and roommate. "I've checked using the computer program as well as the journal back up."

"What's going on?"

"I'm not sure Boo. I did a full inventory this morning, and we are either missing  **a** ** _lot_**  of product or someone has been skimming money from the registers.

"What's the damage?" Boo flipped open the ledger to examine the numbers. "Shit! Celeste! What the hell happened?"

"Fuck. That's what I'm saying. I don't know. What am I going to tell Alex? She and Piper put a great deal of trust in me to keep the bookkeeping in line. I mean, look at this mess. No way this is a simple transposition error. Well over a thousand dollars is flat out missing." Tears threatened to leak out of the corners of Celeste's eyes.

The two batted around various ideas. They ran through each employee, pulling out their application files to see if there was something that had been missed when they had been hired. Boo even suggested running background checks on the new hires. Yet nothing could console Celeste. "Background checks? Seriously, Boo? This is a café, not a bank."

Boo pulled Celeste into a hug. "We'll sort this out C. Together. Come on, let's work on this tomorrow.

Boo heard the tinkle of the bells hanging on the front door and went to check on the front of the store. Nobody was waiting to at the counter. In fact, the store was now empty, including the strange man in the back. Boo's arms got goosebumps as her mind went into overdrive about the rag tag new customer. She decided share her unsettling feelings about the new customer with Celeste.

* * *

Lorna had been the perfect choice for innkeeper of the bed and breakfast. All of the guests raved about not only the accommodations but also the amazing food and service. The reviews were nothing but positive. Visitors were leaving relaxed and rejuvenated, many booking their next stay before they had even left.

The decision to use local area products where possible boosted the local economy in ways unimaginable. The City of Donovan had quickly begun to sponsor a monthly farmer's market with the idea that success would quickly allow the expansion to a weekly event during fair weather months. Nobody could have ever imagined that one woman's dream of opening a small café would lead to this – revitalization of an entire community.

* * *

Piper and Alex took advantage of an uncharacteristically cool summer evening to take Peep and Choc on a walk around Lake Donovan. While still rowdy at times, the dogs brought a great deal of happiness to Alex and Piper's life. They were definitely a source of amusement for sure.

Stopping by the bed and breakfast, Piper took a seat on the front steps in one of the white rocking chairs scattered about the wrap-around porch. After a brief disappearing act, Alex returned with a chilled bottle of wine and three glasses. "Lorna's on her way out." Piper uncorked the wine and poured each woman a glass. The evening was not only good for walking with girlfriends and dogs, but it was also the absolute best for sitting on porches sipping wine with friends. All three were chatting while Alex played a lazy game of catch with Peep. Choc, of course, was ignoring Alex and rolling in the flowerbed.

"How are you and Nicky doing Lorna?"

Lorna took a sip of her wine as she chose her words carefully. "We are okay," Lorna said cautiously. "She's been a little off lately, but it's nothing we can't surpass. Nicky is such a gentleman. My little elf Nicky." Lorna's smile wavered only slightly as she talked about Nicky with honest love in her voice.

Piper pressed a little further. "Off? What do you mean Lorna? Is there anything I can do to help?" Piper leaned forward and placed her hand on Lorna's knee. However, Lorna refused to talk further about any possible issues. Lorna was loyal, if anything, for sure.

* * *

The next morning, Nicky dragged herself around The Place as she did her duties. Boo tried to not stare as Nicky seemed lethargic, her arms and legs appearing heavy and difficult to move. Nicky's eyes were puffy and had dark circles beneath them. The longer the morning continued, the slower and more uncoordinated Nicky's movement became.

After the morning rush, Nicky flung herself into one of the booths towards the back. Boo walked back and placed her hand on Nicky's shoulder. "Hey bud, how ya doing?"

Nicky muttered some incoherent words under her breath. Rolling her head to the side, her speech was still somewhat slurred and garbled. Boo pushed gently on Nicky's shoulder. "Get up girl. We have work to do." Nicky shrugged off Boo's hand. "Come on Nic." Nicky again answered with a grumble.

Another shoulder shake caused Nicky to fly out of the booth. "Fuck Boo. Leave me the hell alone." Nicky's hostility was palatable. "I just don't feel good." Nicky pulled her sunglasses down to her face and pulled herself out of the booth and wandered up to the front register to help guests.

Celeste pulled Boo aside. "What's up with Nicky?"

"I don't know girl. She won't look at me and just brushed me off. Something is definitely wrong."

Celeste was quiet as she pondered. She turned to Boo and mouthed, " _Is she on drugs?_ "

Boo quickly pulled Celeste into the back room and whispered harshly. "What the hell Celeste? Nicky is our  _friend_. She's  _not_  on drugs."

"Boo, I love Nicky as much as you do. But we can't wear blinders here. She has classic signs of the beginning stages of heroin addiction. Come  _on._  Look at the whole picture. We  _are_ missing money in the till. We can't ignore this."

"Don't accuse her just yet though. Let's think this through." Boo let out a breath of frustration.

"So what do we do?" Celeste had gotten very little sleep the night before running scenarios through her head about the missing money. Nicky has never even made the long list of possibilities. This prospect sickened her to no end – that Nicky could not only using drugs but also stealing from the café to support her habit.

Boo could tell that Celeste was processing the situation. "Let's just hold on for a bit Celeste. Get Piper and Alex over here today and take them through the issues with the books as well as our suspicions about Nicky. It's the only right thing to do. Give her the benefit of the doubt. Nicky's our friend. For now, let's just make it through shift."

* * *

Piper and Alex made the short trek between the cabin and the inn. Alex put the dogs into the yard attached to the carriage house in which Lorna lived. Piper went ahead, walking up the stairs and into the house. She followed the sounds of the chattering guests to the large dining room. When she walked into the kitchen, Lorna was happily singing away. She was wearing an old style dress and apron. "Hey there Lorna; looking good there in your 19th century clothing. Is there enough food for two more?"

Lorna spun around, flashing a broad smile. "Piper! There is always enough food. I saw you two had stayed another night at the cabin. I figured you would be here sooner or later." Lorna poured two large cups of coffee and handed them off to Piper. She grabbed the last platter of food she had been preparing and together they went to the dining room with their guests.

Alex had already settled in with the house's guests when Lorna and Piper entered. The guests piled their plates high with fluffy biscuits and gravy, eggs, and bacon. Smaller platters of fresh fruit were scattered about the table. While Lorna did not eat, Piper and Alex ate with the same gusto as the guests did.

Lorna flitted around the table ensuring everyone's juice glasses and coffee cups were full. She indeed played the part of the perfect hostess. Grandma Suzanna and Aunt Mary would certainly be most proud.

* * *

After breakfast, Piper gathered the dogs and the couple ambled back to the cabin. Alex picked up her phone from the charger and examined her messages. "Ummm Pipes. Check your phone. I have a text from Celeste. It sounds fairly ominous."

"Same here Al. Boo texted, too. They need to meet with us at the café as soon as possible to discuss a 'serious problem'. I wonder what's up with that? They couldn't give us a clue? Meh, I guess that's where we are going."

Alex and Piper straightened up the cabin, making up the bed and cleaning up the remainder of any mess. Once the dogs were safely loaded into the Jeep, the pair made their way to The Place.

Parking on a side street next to the café, they heard ambulance sirens in the distance. "Those sound close. I always hate hearing sirens. It means someone is in crisis." Piper sighed heavily as she pulled herself down from the Jeep.

The bells above the door tinkled as Alex and Piper entered their café. They were immediately alarmed to see Boo and Celeste leaning over an unresponsive body crumpled on the floor. Piper ran over. Turning she cried out to Alex. "It's Nicky."


	32. Ambulance Rides and Truths

Piper rushed over and immediately sat on the floor cradling Nicky's head in her lap. "What happened?" She looked between Boo and Celeste who were both pale.

"She just collapsed. I swear." Boo's voice was shaky. "One minute she was bussing tables, next she was on the ground."

Alex stood over Piper with a hand on her shoulder. "Easy Piper. Don't jostle her. She may have hit her head when she fell. Fuck guys. Nicky looks like shit. How long has she looked like this?"

Celeste shook her head. "We only noticed today. Shit. I should have paid closer attention. She's been a little off lately but nothing like today."

Soon the ambulance was backing up to the doors, and paramedics rolled a gurney into the café. One began taking vitals. She immediately hooked Nicky up to a heart monitor and started an IV. The other took a history as best as she could from Nicky's concerned friends. "Have you noticed any recent changes in her behavior? Anything you can tell us may help to determine what's wrong."

Boo explained Nicky's earlier sluggish behavior and accompanying hostile attitude. "That is  _not_  Nicky. She's always so happy and jovial. But it was like she was moving in quick sand."

"What about her eyes? Is that how she normally looks?" The medic was furiously making notes as the other was packaging Nicky for transport. "Bags under her eyes, swollen…"

Alex spoke up, "I've never seen Nicky look like this. I mean, sometimes after a late night of drinking, she would roll in here looking pretty rough, but never like this. Plus, she doesn't really go out anymore. She has a girlfriend and has been pretty much playing Betty homemaker.

"Lorna" Piper. "She needs to know. We can't just call her! She will freak out."

"Let's drop the dogs off at the house. Piper, you grab your car and go pick up Lorna and meet me at the hospital." Alex looked at Boo and Celeste. "Are you two okay?" The lack of response from the roommates showed that they were in shock. "Call some other staff in to cover the rest of the day. Okay? Then get your asses to the hospital."

Celeste nodded her head as Piper and Alex ran out after the paramedics who were rolling Nicky to the ambulance on the gurney.

* * *

Celeste quickly called in two staff to take their place at the café and she and Boo rushed to the hospital. "Celeste, what did we do?"

"First of all Boo, we didn't do anything. Nicky brought this on herself with whatever mess she's gotten herself into. I can't believe we missed Nicky was using."

"Us? Hell, how did Lorna miss it? They practically live together." Boo was beside herself with grief. Nicky was her best friend after Celeste. The trio had become even closer once Piper and Alex had made them co-owners of The Place. They had even brought Lorna into their fold.

Celeste pulled into the hospital parking lot close to the emergency room bay doors. They quickly located Alex who was pacing in the waiting area. "Nicky is in a room with nurses and doctors all around. They won't let me go back there. So we don't know anything yet." Alex was torn between being upset or angry. "Guys, what's going on? Tell me from the beginning. And. Don't. Leave. Anything. Out."

* * *

After making sure the dogs had water and were penned in properly, Piper swiftly drove to Founder's Inn. It was mid-day, so she presumed Lorna would be in the office in the carriage house. Piper nervously rocked back and forth on her heels while she waited for Lorna to answer the doorbell.

"Piper, what a pleasant surprise! I wasn't expecting to see you so soon. Please, come in!" Lorna had changed clothes into a simple sundress and pulled her curls back into a loose bun. Lorna turned to go back towards the kitchen. "Can I pour you some iced tea or some lemonade?"

Piper gulped and followed Lorna. "No that's okay. Thank you."

"Why the frowny face Piper? Don't you know frowning will give you wrinkles?"

Piper went to Lorna grasping her elbow gently and led her to the table. "Why don't we sit down Lorna?"

It was then that Lorna realized something was going on. "Piper? What's wrong Piper?" Her voice became even more high pitched. "Is it Nicky? Piper, what happened to Nicky?" Lorna latched on to Piper's arm. "Is she okay?"

"We aren't sure of anything just yet. She collapsed at the café and an ambulance took her to the hospital. Alex and the girls are there, too. I wanted to drive you there because I knew you'd be upset."

"Oh Piper. This is all my fault. I knew she wasn't feeling well. I should have said something or made her go to the doctor." Lorna began fanning herself with one of the design magazines scattered on the table. She was hyperventilating and displaying signs of a panic attack.

"No, no Lorna. This isn't your fault. None of us could have known she was sick. And even if we thought that, she's pretty hard headed and would have been hard to drag to the doctor. Are you going to be okay?" Lorna nodded. "Let's go.

* * *

Alex, Celeste, and Boo found a quiet corner in the waiting area to talk. Celeste took a deep breath and began to talk to Alex. "Alex, I am so sorry. You entrusted me to keep up with the café bookkeeping and I royally screwed things up." As Alex's face darkened, Celeste continued. "Yesterday I started noticing some peculiar things with the numbers. I ran the numbers multiple times, both on the computer and with the journals. I always thought keeping two sets of books was a little redundant, but I'm glad I had them so I could verify my calculations." Celeste paused. Her hands were shaking slightly.

Alex said, "Celeste, whatever it is, we can fix it. It's just money. But go on."

"So I decided to do a full inventory. And again the inventory confirmed my fears. Either a great deal of product is missing or someone has been skimming money from the registers." Celeste let out a huge breath that she hadn't realized she had been holding. It was a relief to finally tell Alex, something she'd been dreading since she found the discrepancies.

Alex could see that Celeste was nervous as hell. As frustrated as she was now, her anger by concern for Nicky overshadowed that. She pushed her own water bottle towards Celeste. "Calm down. You know your numbers Celeste and how to manage. I am certain that you and Boo discussed this. What did you two talk about?"

Celeste took Alex through them checking the employee files for incriminating information that missed prior to hiring. She mentioned Boo's idea of background checks.

Then Boo spoke up. "We have a new customer. He's been there twice around closing time, that I've seen. He's pretty shabby. He buys a cup of coffee, black, and nurses it until we close up the place."

Alex was confused. "Okay. We are missing money. It's only money, but how much?"

Celeste dipped her chin to her chest. "About $1,500 Alex. I am so sorry."

Alex took in a sharp breath, then slowly let it out. "Alright you two. This I can deal with. Now tell me, how does Nicky relate to all of this? Why the fuck is she in the hospital?"

Now it was Boo's turn to get nervous. "Ummm you heard what I told the paramedics."

Alex eyed Boo strongly. "Okay Boo now tell ME."

Boo explained how during the morning rush, Nicky seemed to be walking in molasses. "Her eyes, boss, looked like shit. You saw those dark circles and the puffiness caused her look as though she was looking through slits. Hell, she was wearing sunglasses for crying out loud." Boo took a gulp of water before she continued. "After the rush slowed, she was sitting in a booth. I tried to talk to her, but I couldn't understand a word she was saying. I thought that maybe she was hung-over, so I tried to get her to back to work. She ended up acting a total ass."

Celeste piped up. "This is when Boo and I decided to text you and Piper and lay it all on the line – the missing money, our suspicions, Nicky, everything. Then, she just collapsed. We called 9-1-1. Then you showed up."

Alex began rubbing her temples, a sure sign a tension headache was on the horizon. "And pray tell, what were your suspicions?"

Celeste looked at Boo who shrugged. "That Nicky is on heroin."

" **HEROIN?"** Lorna cried out in a panicked, frantic voice. The shrillness of Lorna's voice echoed off the walls as she ran into the ER waiting room. "Nicky is on heroin?" Lorna's body slumped to the floor as she fainted.


	33. Heroin, Thieves, and Lemonade

Lorna woke up on her own gurney with some nurses waving ammonia smelling salts beneath her nose. A saline drip had already been started to raise her blood pressure. While she probably fainted due to stress, the extra fluids would help take some of the pressure off her heart.

Piper squeezed Lorna's hand. "Hey honey. I'm right here. Are you okay?" Lorna began to again get worked up about Nicky's situation. "Hey, hey, hey. Be careful. I don't want them to sedate you sweetie. It's okay. Nicky is going to be okay."

"But Celeste said that my Nicky is on  _heroin_." This statement alone caused Lorna to tear up. "I told you this is all my fault. I should have seen it. She's been acting strange for days."

A woman with a gentle face and a white coat came up behind the group of friends who was gathered in Lorna's room. "Hi, I'm Amy Bose, one of the family nurse practitioners here at the hospital." Lorna's confused look caused the woman to explain a little more. "A FNP works under the supervision of a doctor and can do practically everything a doctor can but operate. Are you the group here with Nicky Nichols?"

Alex stepped forward, offering her hand. "I'm Alex Vause. Nicky was my employee but she now co-owns a café with these other women. What can you tell us about her condition?"

Amy chuckled. "Well one thing for sure, I can tell you Nicky is  **not**  on heroin. Sorry but I overheard part of your conversation. Nicky is actually awake enough to give me consent to talk to you."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Lorna piped up. "When can I see her? She's my girlfriend, you know?"

Amy patted Lorna's hand. "Not quite yet. We have a lot of tests to still run on Nicky and need to get her condition stabilized."

Celeste spoke up next. "So what's wrong with her?"

"By the initial tests we ran when she came in, she was hypoglycemic which means she had low blood sugar,  _very_  low blood sugar in Nicky's case. She was going into a diabetic coma which is potentially life threatening. It's definitely a medical emergency."

Tears filled Lorna's eyes. "But Nicky doesn't have diabetes."

"That's why we are running additional tests. Regardless we will find out what's wrong with her and determine the best way to help treat the disease. I have to get back to Nicky now, but she was insistent I let you know what's going on. A nurse will let you know when she's ready for a visitor or two."

When the FNP left, the women were silent. Boo was the first to speak up, trying to inject a little humor into the somber situation. "Well at least she's not a heroin addict!" Celeste smacked her in the shoulder. "Ouch!"

* * *

Later that evening, the hospital staff allowed Lorna a brief visit with Nicky. "Nicky! You scared me! Boo said you were on heroin."

"I wish babe. Then I would have at least known why I've felt like shit lately." Nicky was exhausted by was trying to make light of the situation so Lorna would not worry. "What's really going to suck about this diabetes shit that I'll have to cut back on your yummy sweets. I don't know how it all works, but I'm sure sugar is going to be a big part of it."

"Thanks okay darling. I'll make the best treats ever that you will be able to eat."

* * *

Lorna was still wiped out from the trauma of the day. Despite her protests, Piper took her back to the carriage house to get a change of clothes. "You are staying at our house tonight. No arguing."

"But what about my guests. They will be expecting breakfast in the morning."

Piper rolled her eyes. "I can get a batch of pastries from The Place; I can make coffee; I can cut fruit. So it won't be a gourmet meal that they are used to from you, but I'm sure they will understand. I'll put together a basket of local products for them to take home. I'm sure they will love it – soap, lotion, honey, and a discount card for the farm if they want to go and pick veggies."

* * *

Piper and Alex were both exhausted when they crawled into bed that night. "Will you just hold me Al?" Piper turned to her side so that Alex could spoon behind her. Alex placed gentle kisses on the back of her neck. "Is everything going to be okay Alex?"

"I don't know Pipes. There is more going on at The Place that I found out from Boo and Celeste."

"Nicky?" Concern was evident in Piper's voice.

"No. Let's not talk about it tonight. Can we talk about good things? I need good things Piper."

Piper was silent then spoke. "Alex do you remember how we met?"

Alex chuckled. "How we met met or how you thought we met?"

Piper let out a smirk. "What? I couldn't help myself. I had a very active imagination. Besides that wasn't  _you_ , it was Andrea. I saw you that day at the lake and you ingrained yourself on my mind. I dreamed about you for so long. I thought about you constantly. Little did I know that I had to have you."

" _Had_  to have me?"

"Yeah! Then you ended up applying to work for me. It was hard - everyone could see the chemistry between us but us. Well we could see the attraction but both of us refused to act on it." Piper snuggled backwards, closer into Alex as she spoke.

"I wanted you Piper. I've always wanted you. But I also wanted the café to work and for things to not get weird. Yet here we are. I think us getting together was inevitable."

"Alex." Piper paused. "Will you be my girlfriend?"

"Yes, you idiot." Alex goosed Piper in the sides.

Piper turned over to look at Alex in the eyes. "Seriously Alex. I was so freaked out today. What if Nicky had not have regained consciousness. Legally the hospital would not have been able to let us know what was wrong with her. Lorna wouldn't have even been able to see her if she had still been unresponsive. What if something happens to you? Or me?" Piper got a distant look in her eyes.

Alex knew not to speak as Piper had transported herself back to memories that Alex was not a part of. Alex simply pulled Piper in close to her body. She knew that while Piper still had demons in her past that she and Piper had memories of their own, damned good memories. Nonetheless, tonight showed her that Piper was still terrified of something happening to Alex as it had in her past. Alex closed her eyes and thought.  _I may not be able to ease Piper's fears from the past, but I know of something I can do that will make a difference for her future._ Despite all of the events of the long day, Alex held Piper tightly and went to sleep smiling.

* * *

A few days later, a stable Nicky was released from the hospital with a confirmed diagnosis of diabetes, a temporary meal plan, and several appointments with specialists. The crew was sitting on the porch of Founder's Inn enjoying Lorna's fresh squeezed lemonade. Alex had dropped the dogs off with Suzie and TJ for the day so there were not any distractions. All of the guests had checked out of the inn and check-in wasn't for a few more hours so even Lorna could enjoy the stillness of the summer day.

"Heroin addict, eh?" Nicky flopped her shaggy hair from side to side. She exposed her bare inner elbows. "Look ma, no track marks."

Boo looked at Nicky sheepishly. "Look Nic, I am sorry. Celeste and I had our hands full with something else and, well, it just fit with everything."

Nicky rolled her eyes. "Okay, spill the beans. What could have happened to make you think that I, one of your bestest buds, is a drug addict?"

"Other than your shitty behavior?" Everyone laughed.

Celeste spoke up. "Someone has been stealing from The Place." She immediately had everyone's attention. "I checked and rechecked the numbers as well as did a full inventory. Either someone has taken off with about $1,500 worth of product, or someone has been dipping their grubby fingers into the register. Nicky, I'm sorry we thought you might be the culprit. Boo and I were grasping at straws."

"Actually I have my eye on a seedy customer who creeps me out on the afternoon shift." The ladies nodded that Boo might be onto something.

Lorna paled and got up quickly, knocking her lemonade over. She rushed to the carriage house. "What's up with her?" Piper questioned as she rose out of her rocker to follow Lorna.

No sooner had Piper gotten out of her chair did Lorna come running back with a thick manila folder. Thrusting it towards Celeste, Lorna was very flustered. "Oh please don't hate me. I am very, very sorry. I just have been so busy with everything, I forgot." Lorna continued to carry on until Nicky could calm her down.

Celeste took the folder from her and opened it to see it was stuffed full of receipts for baking ingredients, coffee, plates, etc. "Celeste I'm apologize. Piper told me to just use the account for The Place to order everything we needed for the ground-breaking ceremony and the grand opening here at Founder's Inn. Everything is there, I promise. I can account for every nickel. I would never, ever steal from you."

It was several moments before anyone spoke. Boo broke the silence with a full belly laugh. "Oh my gawd, oh my gawd, oh my gawd. All this time everything was legit. We went from Nicky being a heroin addict to me stalking an old man. And all this time, Lorna had receipts for the goods." It didn't take long for her laughter to spread throughout the group.

Alex excused herself to go inside and come back with a bottle of tequila and some glasses. "This, my friends, calls for tequila."

She poured shots for everyone. As they raised to toast, Lorna snatched Nicky's glass from her. "What the hell Lorna?" Nicky was in shock.

"Now, now Nicky, this is your first day on your new diet. We are starting with no booze." Lorna replaced Nicky's glass with her lemonade glass as Boo poured Nicky's tequila into her own glass.

"Here's to no thieves or drug dealers among us!"


	34. Is That Josh?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a second - so quick reminder. Josh is the little boy who Piper adopted who later passed away in a car accident. Lily is his birth mother.

Alex thought quite some time about the insecurities Piper had displayed the night after Nicky had been sent to the hospital. She respected the fears from Piper's past yet knew that she needed to do something to alleviate the angst in her girlfriend's mind as well as her heart.

Moving in together had been a tremendous step towards commitment for Alex. Never had she thought she might need more than that. However, at this juncture in her life, Alex knew that the ultimate commitment was in order to not only show Piper the depth of her love but to also ensure Piper peace of mind that they would never be legally held apart. They were lovers first, business partners second. The next natural step would indeed be marriage.

After putting a fair amount of thought into rings, proposals, and whatnot, Alex was consumed with details that she had no idea how to plan. She knew if she went to Lorna for help, she'd have flowers and sky writers and ice sculptures and a marching band – just for the proposal. So she decided to go with simple – a simple ring and a simple proposal. Yet it had to be perfect. This was her Piper. The perfect simple ring and the perfect simple proposal.

* * *

Lorna was absolutely loving her position as inn keeper at the bed and breakfast. She was impeccably suited to as cook and hostess. The day was utterly timed flawlessly for her to spend time doing her chores for the inn as well as to work on her other job. She also had more flexibility in the design projects she took on as she no longer had housing costs. The B&B customers were always so delighted when they left, and Founder's Inn Yelp reviews were always quite high.

Having other people to do the cleaning, maintenance, and yard work also took away the stress of the non-pleasurable tasks. Help was nothing but a phone call away. She had a cleaning staff of four women who rotated and a regular landscaper. Tom did bi-weekly checks on the buildings and repaired anything out of sorts.

On days when Lorna needed to be away for some reason, there was always someone to help out. Tom's wife, Lisa, particularly loved helping out because Amanda insisted visiting regularly. It was Amanda's new "job" to sit in the rocking chairs and tell tales of old town Donovan and Donovan Manor to any guest who cared to listen. More often than not, every single guest would be in attendance during those story telling sessions.

This time Lorna needed to make a slightly longer trip as she needed to meet with a client a little bit further away. She was on the tail-end of design with this customer and many of the details needed to be sorted out face to face. Lisa assured her that everything would be taken care of at the business. As well, Amanda was well rested and ready to talk!

* * *

Eventually the dramas of the missing money and Nicky's odd behavior and subsequent hospital visit played itself out, and things were back to normal for the rest of the women of Donovan. As the days went on, even Boo stopped watching the now-regular customer who had earlier caused her concern. He came in every day without fail, ordered a black coffee and sipped on it until closing time. He was a quiet man and rarely engaged in conversation even with a high spirited Nicky. Every so often when the little bell over the door would tinkle, he would glance up at the door as if expecting a visitor.

One afternoon, Piper decided for a change in her day. Normally she was at The Place in the early morning to help with rush. However, she took the day off to spend with TJ and Suzie. Since the kids had done such a good job of training Choc and Peep, she decided to pick them up for a special treat. The brother and sister each had a double dip ice cream cone as they walked towards The Place. Piper nursed her single dip cone as she opened the door for the kids to enter the café.

"Aunt Nicky. Look! Chocolate  **and**  strawberry." Suzie adored Nicky and went out of her way to make sure that she was glued to Nicky's side every moment possible. TJ was more complacent and simply slid into a booth to eat his ice cream in peace.

Boo alerted and stood a little taller in her shoes as she noticed the rag tag customer intensely staring at TJ. Without alarming Piper, Boo went and placed her heft between the man's line of vision and the young boy. Lifting the coffee pot in her hand, she inquired, "More coffee sir?" He shook his head and looked down with an almost embarrassed look on his face. "Is there anything I can help you with then?" The man's interest in TJ was quite bothersome.

He looked up at Boo. "Piper Chapman? Is that Piper?" He motioned to Piper. "I heard she owns this joint. Is that her?"

"Well a lot of us here own this  _joint_. But yeah, that's Piper." The man began to stand, but Boo motioned for him to stay seated. "What do you need her for?" Boo found herself being quite protective of her former boss now co-owner.

"It…it's," the man stuttered. "It's personal."

Boo stared at him momentarily. "I'll get her for you."

Boo went to Piper and had a quiet conversation with her motioning to the customer. Nicky quickly shuffled Suzie behind the counter and Boo went to slid in the booth across from TJ to block the view between the man and the boy.

As Piper walked towards the man, she plastered a smile on her face and extended her hand. "Hi. I'm Piper. Boo said you wanted to talk to me. How can I help you?"

The man wiped his hand on his napkin and grasped Piper's for a gentle handshake. "I don't think you know me, but my name is Harry." The man's voice was quivering. He raised a shaky hand and motioned towards Boo's back. "Josh. Is that my Lilly's Josh?"

Piper gasped as her eyes involuntarily widened then sharply narrowed as she grabbed the man's arm through his sleeve. She whispered through gritted teeth. "What kind of game is this? It's not funny. Who the fuck are you?"

Without waiting for an answer, Piper gathered both children and rushed out the door.

* * *

Alex finally had everything planned out. While her plan was quite simple, she nervously checked and double checked her list. Dogs in their kennel with lots of toys – ready to check. Three dozen roses – check. Candles – check. Lingerie – check. Ring – check. And then she went through the list again. She knew Piper was spending the day with the Griffith kids so she wasn't sure exactly what time she'd be home, so Alex could only hope that everything would go according to plan once Tom texted her that the kids had been dropped off.

As Alex received that text, she put her plan into motion. She kenneled the pups together with all of toys stuffed with them in hopes they would entertain themselves and each other. She pulled the buds off of eleven of the roses and scattered the leaves in a trail from the back door, up the stairs to their bedroom. Another dozen roses were placed, one at a time along that trail. Alex arranged the last full dozen in Piper's favorite vase beside their bed.

Alex then turned to her favorite preparation of the evening, her outfit. She had decided on a red silk merry-widows. She pulled on the long bustier, fastidiously buttoning up the row of hook and eye. Next she slid on the lace and embroidered mesh panty. Alex slipped the long stockings over her lengthy sexy legs, using the adjustable straps and garters to keep them in position. Eyeing herself every which way in the mirror, Alex grinned wickedly. Alex knew what this look would do to Piper. She was sure to get the answer she desired from her lover.

Before settling on the bed, Alex lite the array of candles placed around the room. Locating the ring box as well as the final single rose, she established herself on the bed with the ring in her hand and rose across her stomach. And then she waited.

* * *

Piper had not stopped shaking since she dropped the kids off with their father. Lisa and Amanda were staying in Lorna's guest room as she had to take an overnight trip to work with one of her design clients. She decided to drive around for a bit before going home. Eventually she pulled into the driveway of her house, Piper sat a few moments calming herself. She glanced upstairs to see lights indicating if Alex was still awake. While there was a glow peeking around the curtains, the bright bedside lamp light did not seem to be on.

Piper eased the car door shut and snuck in the back door of the house. She heard the noise of both dogs wiggling their greetings in their kennel. "Hey girls. Did Mama Alex forget to let you out?" Piper bent down to scratch their heads. Going into the kitchen, Piper placed her keys on the counter. And then she saw it.

Rose petals. Roses petals and roses. On the floor. To the stairs. Up the stairs. Piper's heart sank. She couldn't deal with this. Not tonight.  _There is only so much I can handle._

Piper chose to not follow those petals – to not follow the path of love that had been laid out before her. Her heart was breaking. Quietly she latched the dog gate in front of the stairs into place and tossed a blanket on the couch. She let the dogs out, encouraging their quietness with treats and settled herself on the couch for a night of restless sleep.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapter after this is the beginning of a cross over with Hey, Hey Mrs. Bartender. Because of the obvious character name issue, I've tried to resolve it by maintaining the original character names (Alex, Piper, and Nicky) in each story. Then use the actress' name (Laura, Taylor, and Natasha) for the cross over portions. If characters don't cross over – like Lorna – they will maintain their same name. The cross-over will only last for a few chapters, but I needed the story line for HHMB as well as to close this fic out.


	35. Mystery Man Revealed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is the beginning of a cross over with Hey, Hey Mrs. Bartender. Because of the obvious character name issue, I've tried to resolve it by maintaining the original character names (Alex, Piper, and Nicky) in each story. Then use the actress' name (Laura, Taylor, and Natasha) for the cross over portions. The cross-over will only last for a few chapters in this one, but I needed the story line for HHMB as well as to close this fic out.

Alex shifted slightly and froze at the crick in her neck. Looking down, she realized she had fallen asleep sitting up, and the awkward position had not been kind to her body. Her eyes landed on the rose still resting on her stomach and the ring box which had fallen to the side. An incredible sadness spread through her chest as she realized that she had fallen asleep. It was morning and she was still alone. No Piper. No simple perfect proposal.

Tossing the flower and ring box to the other side, Alex climbed out of bed and stretched her lean frame to its full height in an attempt to stretch out the kinks brought on by the uncomfortable sleep. Peeking out the curtains, she saw Piper's car in the driveway which made the heaviness in her heart lighten slightly. At least she knew Piper was safely in their home.

Alex slowly reversed the process she had taken getting dressed in the sexy teddy the previous evening then dressed in her normal jeans and t-shirt. She carefully folded the lingerie and placed it and the ring box in a hidden corner of the closet Piper never used.

Breathing deeply to clear her head, she readied herself to go downstairs in search of her girlfriend. As she reached the landing and turned the corner of the stairs, Alex's eyebrows furrowed together in confusion as she saw the dog gate stretched across the bottom of the stairs. She quietly stepped over the barrier and saw Piper stretched out on the couch, one arm above her head and the other nestled in Peep's fur. Alex heard a thump, thump, thump and saw Choc had raised her head and was looking at her beating her tail against the back of the couch.

Despite her confusion on why her lover was asleep on the couch, Alex did not want to awaken Piper. She obviously had not slept well and had just settled in to sleep. So Alex gently picked up Choc and let her outside while she made herself coffee.

* * *

Alex was working in her third cup of coffee, a croissant, and the crossword puzzle when she heard the door open. She resisted turning to face Piper as she heard the approaching steps. Despite having the time to think, Alex had not processed anything. She had decided that without all the facts, she would not analyze Piper's actions. Allowing Piper to explain would be the only fair action.

Piper placed her coffee cup down then slid her arms around Al. "Hey." Her voice was soft.

"Hey," Alex returned unassumingly.

Piper took a deep breath and released it as she took a seat. "I know I ruined something special you had planned last night."

Alex was silent.

"The roses and petals are beautiful and I saw you added another dozen this morning." Piper placed her hand on Alex's forearm. "I love you Alex. I'm the luckiest woman in the world and I just keep screwing things up." Piper began crying. "I'm sorry Al. So sorry."

Alex scooted her chair over to Piper's and placed her arm around her shoulders. Concerned, Alex pulled her in closely and just clasped her closely as she sobbed. Unsure as what to do, Alex waited for Piper calm which actually took quite some time.

Piper lifted her head and snuffled as she wiped her face on a stray napkin on the outdoor table. She looked at Alex, eyes swollen and red. "Al. This is all so fucked up."

"What is fucked up Pipes? Talk to me. You are really scaring me here."

"Remember that man that Boo was talking about? The off kilter man who she thought might be stealing money? I met him yesterday. Harry."

"Okay. Well he wasn't stealing from us. So what's wrong? What has you so upset?"

"I had TJ and Suzie with me and we stopped by the café. He thought TJ was Josh." At this, Piper began to cry again, albeit not as hard this time.

"Wait. Josh? As in your son Josh? What the fuck Piper?"

"I know. Well I kind of freaked out but had the kids with me and had to be calm. Boo and Nicky shielded the kids. I couldn't talk to  _Harry_  because my heart was beating out of my chest and about to crawl into my throat. Alex. He knew. He knew Lilly's name. He knew Josh's name. He knew  **my**  name. Nobody but you knows anything about my past. So yeah, I'm a little freaked out."

"So now what?"

"I did the only thing I thought I could do. Get the kids to safety back home and arranged a meeting with him this afternoon. I felt so bad for freaking out. I mean, his face. He really thought TJ was Josh. Then there's me being a maniac and Boo standing there like a body guard."

Alex's proposal was immediately forgotten as she realized that Piper had been in a full blown panic attack for the past twelve hours. "Do you need me to go with you?"

Tears welled up in Piper's eyes as she nodded. "Al, I really messed up your plans last night; I am so sorry. But please. I need you right now. Will you go with me?"

"Of course Piper. I am by your side. Always."

* * *

Nicky had the morning off so showed up at the bed and breakfast bright and early to see Lorna. "Hey doll, I missed you." Nicky missed the slight tensing of Lorna's shoulders as the word  _doll_ slipped out of Nicky's mouth.

"Oh honey. I missed you, too." Lorna finished artistically piling biscuits on a tray. "Here take this out to the guests." Nicky grabbed the tray and headed to the dining room as Lorna followed with pots of local jelly and honey. The customers had already dug into their various egg creations – omelets, fried eggs, scrambled eggs… whatever type they wanted. One last trip to the kitchen brought trays of fresh, seasonal fruit.

Even though the purpose of Nicky's trip was to see her girlfriend who she had dearly missed over the past few days, Nicky ensured that the guests needs were met. Lorna's motto was "many hands make light work" and Nicky respected that.

Once the guests were satiated and had all excused themselves from the table, Nicky helped clear the table and assisted with washing the dishes. Finally, the pair had time to sit at the breakfast table together with the rest of the sliced fruit and a huge bowl of Greek yogurt.

"So doll, how was your trip? I know I don't have to ask if your clients were delighted with your work. But I want to hear all about it."

"The customers were tickled pink Nicky. Everything is finalized, and they signed off of the designs. The order for all of their components was put in and all that's left is for me to go back and supervise putting together the area. But yeah, they loved it."

"I'm so proud of my girl. I never doubt you."

"Better than the design client being satisfied, I ran across an unsuspected surprise. You know – I like to window shop."

Nicky chuckled as she ran her hand through her mop of ragged hair. "That I do. What did you find this time?" Nicky dragged a plump strawberry through the yogurt and popped it into her mouth.

"A soap factory. I'm going to contact them this week to see if I can't talk them into expanding to lotion as well. But I stood outside their store and the smells… the smells were amazing honey. And, get this, the owner of the soap factory and her new wife, are doppelgangers for Piper and Alex. I even called Taylor… Piper. She's the owner of the soap factory. How embarrassing." Lorna leaned over and kissed Nicky on the cheek. She only felt a tiny bit guilty about leaving out the flirty bartender. "I need to call Piper. I'm so excited. I want to tell her about it."

"Uhhhhhhhh not today. I have a strong feeling today is not going to be the best day to talk to Piper about anything."

"Oh dear Nicky. What's wrong? Do I need to go over to help her?"

"I'm not quite sure what's wrong. It has something to do with that strange new customer we have at The Place. But no, I don't think you need to go over there. I think this is something that she is going to need to handle on her own."

* * *

Piper had arranged to meet the mysterious Harry at the library as it was a neutral location with few prying eyes. There was a conference room which could be used to provide some privacy. Alex had agreed to remain silent and to be there only for emotional support to Piper who was frankly a total mess.

The women arrived first, Piper kept wiping her palms on her pants as the sweat kept beading on her the underside surface of her hands. She laid her iPad on the table and paced the room.

Soon Harry arrived and appeared just as nervous as Piper felt. His hair was carefully combed into place and his clothes were a little neater than they had been the day before at the café. Alex stretched her hand out to introduce herself then settled in a chair slightly behind Piper. Harry timidly greeted Piper and took his chair.

Piper spoke first. "So Harry. It is clear you know who I am and a great deal more about me that I know about you. Would it be okay if we started with learning more about you?"

Harry timidly nodded his head. "My name is Harry. I believe you do know Lilly though. She was my twin sister." He wiped away the tears leaking from the corner of his eyes.

Piper fell back into her chair. "Lilly said she didn't have any family."

Harry winced. "When Lilly went astray, most of the family did disown her. I'm ashamed that I did, too." Harry no longer tried to stop his tears. "She just fell in with the wrong crowd. Eventually she disappeared and was swallowed up by the streets. Despite my best efforts, I lost track of her."

Because of her love for Lilly, Piper's heart was breaking for this stranger. She reached over to place a comforting hand on his arm. "Are you okay?" She handed him some tissues she had brought along for herself.

Harry nodded as he wiped his eyes with the tissues. "Yeah. Well several years ago, I got fed up with the rest of my family. Lilly was a piece of me, my other half. So I began looking for her. Do you have any idea how hard it was to find out any information? Added to the fact that she lived on the street for so long, I thought my search was hopeless. But I had given up on Lilly before, I wasn't about to give up again. This is my twin sister."

Enthralled by the man's story, both women just listened. Now that the man was talking, he wasn't going to stop.

"As I made my way to the city, I felt almost as Lilly was guiding me. I found the shelter she last lived in as well as the hospice in which she spent her final days. I found the AIDS Center where you used to volunteer. Apparently Lilly made an impression on people because many people remembered her."

"Harry, despite everything your sister was and went through, I can promise you this. Lilly was a very good person. She had a heart of gold and loved people like no other person I've met. Once she got clean, she was the most amazing person."

"Thank you for saying that Piper. I loved my sister more than words can say. I still hate myself for ever losing touch with her. I somehow feel that had I tried harder, Lilly would still be with me today."

"Don't think that Harry. Lilly made her choices."

After calming his nerves, Harry continued. "I had all this paperwork – and pictures – and back up proof that I was Lilly's next of kin. I think the AIDS Center took pity on me. They told me I had a nephew." Tears were now streaming down his face. "I had a nephew, Josh. A piece of my sister still lived." At this, Piper began to weep slightly as well.

Harry continued. "The center also told me about this amazing volunteer. This volunteer also had a heart of gold. They told me how you would care for her infant while she would have her meetings and treatments. Then as Lilly was readying to enter hospice, she also was working with foster care for them to take over the care of Josh. Then you adopted my nephew to save him from a life of being bounced around from foster home to foster home for his entire life."

"I thought I would find my sister in a city run pauper's grave. But because she died from AIDS, her body was cremated. I was able to retrieve her ashes, so at least I have my sister back with me again. Now I had to find Piper Chapman and Josh. My parents are gone. My sister is gone. I have one link to my sister left, you and my nephew. My search is complete." Harry's face now became hopeful. His eyes shown through the tears, bright with faith. "The boy in the café yesterday. That was Josh?"


	36. All Things Harry and Josh

Piper stood up. Alex immediately followed and wrapped her arms around the obviously distraught blonde. "I can't do this Al." They had moved away from the table. "I can't wreck this man's world. He just found his family again, and I have to tell him he doesn't have a family. I'm not strong enough Al. I can't do this." She looked up at Alex exposing a tear streaked face.

Alex took Piper's chin in her hand, drawing their faces close. "Pipes look at me. You are the strongest woman I know. You have been through so much yet here you are. Powerful. You can do this. Draw strength from me. From Josh." Alex placed a kiss beneath each eye, catching tears as they fell.

Piper laid her head on Alex's chest. "Please. Please help me Al." Piper was near hysterical.

Eventually Alex calmed her enough or them both to sit back down. This time Alex scooted closer to the table as it was she who spoke. Her voice was low and steady. "Harry that little boy is not Joshua. He isn't your nephew. His name is TJ."

While Harry was perplexed, he still did not have a clue. "So where is Josh? Where is my nephew? I want to meet him."

Alex looked at Piper who immediately buried her face in her arms. "Harry, Joshua passed away. He was five years old. There was an accident, a drunk driver."

Harry suddenly stood up, knocking his chair back against the wall. "No. NO! I've looked so long. I've come so far. He can't be gone." Harry looked at Piper, pleading with his eyes for her to tell him it wasn't true. Her tears confirmed what Alex had told him. Harry crumpled in the floor, weeping uncontrollably.

Alex kneeled down beside him and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Harry. Hey. Let's get you off this floor. Come on." She helped the poor man to his feet and guided him to the chair. Unscrewing the top off of a water bottle, she offered him a drink. "This is why Piper was so shocked yesterday. She didn't know what to do and panicked."

Piper finally found her voice. "Harry. It's my fault. I'm sorry I didn't keep your nephew safe. I'm sorry. So sorry."

The man who sat before them seemingly aged ten years in a matter of minutes. "No my child. It's not your fault. Not unless you were the driver who hit my nephew." Using the back of his hand, he wiped his eyes. "I simply thought I had finally found the last remaining piece of my sister. All that has now been taken away. There is nothing left."

Finally, Piper found her voice spoke up. "Harry. Your sister does live on. All of Joshua's viable organs were donated and potentially saved the lives of dozens of children his age. That was one of the hardest decisions I had to make in his short life. But I'm glad that I did – now I can live in peace knowing that his death wasn't meaningless."

The trio sat in the conference room in silence. Each person seemed afraid to speak nor did anyone know what to say.

Now Alex spoke again. "Harry, you have to be hungry. How about we take a break and grab some lunch? Where are you staying?" Harry's eyes dropped down. He did not answer. "Harry?"

He mumbled an unintelligible response. Piper gasped. "Harry, are you sleeping in your car?" Ashamed, he nodded. "What about bathing? How are you keeping clean?"

"There's a truck stop down the road a bit that has cheap showers. Sometimes I can find a driver who will let me wash my clothes with his." Harry still refused to lift his eyes. "I've spent almost my entire life savings looking for Lilly and now for Josh. My car is all I have left."

Piper wrapped her arms around Harry. "Well that just won't do. Not for a member of my family. Alex and I are going to take care of you. There is a place you can stay temporarily until we set you up with something more permanent."

"Piper, I can't intrude on you and your life."

Piper's mothering instincts had taken over. "Nonsense. You are a part of the family. Let's get some take-out, and then I'll take you over to the cabin to get you settled in. There is even a washing machine and dryer there so that you can have properly clean clothes. Then Alex will go grocery shopping and I'm going to tell you all about your nephew. Would you like that?"

Harry nodded as tears flooded down his face.

Alex just smiled as she watched Piper take Harry under her wing. She made a mental note to text Toni and Kristie to let them know they'd be using their cabin again.

* * *

Alex got Chinese take-out, a broad variety of everything to ensure that there were left-overs to leave in the refrigerator. Over lunch Harry filled them in on a few more details of his journey to get where he was today searching for his nephew.

Alex and Piper learned that Harry was a carpenter by trade and also did other odd jobs such as plumbing and landscaping. When his parents died, he had a small inheritance which came along at the perfect time because the company he worked for laid him off.

There had always been a hole in his chest in regards to his twin sister, but with his parents no longer alive, Harry couldn't stand the loneliness he felt. So he sold most of his belongings but for what would fit in his car and set off in search for Lilly. Joshua was not specifically mentioned, and Alex felt that conversation was being held until just Piper and Harry remained.

After lunch, Alex excused herself to run the errands Piper had tasked her. Since she was already at the lake, Alex swung by Donovan Manor to let Lorna know that she might need to be prepared to feed an extra mouth for a bit. She wasn't sure how much Harry would accept from them, but if Piper considered him family, she'd do her damnedest to make sure he was welcome.

Then Alex went shopping. As she was helping Harry unload his car, she had snuck a peek at the sizing tags on his clothes. She purchased him a few pairs of jeans and shirts as well as some new underwear and socks. Finally, she grabbed a comfortable pair of boots. She then ripped the tags off the clothes so that he could not force her to return them. There was no telling how long he had been living in his car nor how much money he had left, so she wanted him to be comfortable.

Finally, she set off on the task Piper had set her on which was grocery shopping. She bought a myriad of fresh fruits, vegetables, and meats as well as a full stock of canned vegetables and frozen meals. It would be evident to Harry that they wanted him to stay.

* * *

Upon return to the cabin, Alex quietly unloaded her purchases. She put the groceries up and left the folded clothes on the kitchen table. She could only hope that Harry would not be embarrassed by her offerings. But from what she had seen from Harry thus far, he was a simple man searching for lost hope. Maybe he had landed in just the right place. Hope was abundant in Donovan.

Piper and Harry were out on the front porch, laughing and flipping through pictures on Piper's iPad. Piper had all of her family pictures converted to digital files so that she could enjoy them without the bulky albums. Alex quietly slipped out the front door and sat on the porch next to Piper who kept telling story after story of Joshua. It softened Alex's heart to hear these stories as she had never heard many of them before.

Piper flipped to the next picture. Harry tapped the screen. "Who is that?"

Piper gulped. "That's Samantha, Joshua's other mother." Alex's heart dropped. "She passed away, too. She was driving Joshua home from dinner, a special treat for them both."

Harry's shocked reaction was priceless. "You lost your son and your wife? Oh dear child." Alex could feel her own heart breaking as she thought about the ring in the top of her closet and the forgotten proposal.

Piper shook her head emphatically. "No. Samantha was not my wife. Back then it wasn't legal. She was my partner, but I have never been married." Piper smiled softly at Alex whose heart lighted a bit. "But yes, I lost both my son and my partner that horrid night. I went on quite the downward spiral for many years. But now… now I'm okay. I'm better than okay. Donovan changed my life for the better. Donovan and Alex." Piper reached down and grasped her girlfriend's hand. "We have a life here. I thought my life had ended when I lost Sam and Joshua. But I kept going, and here I am. Proof that life does go on."

Using her free hand, Alex wiped a stray tear from her eye. She had to start her plans again. A simple perfect proposal.

* * *

The light was growing dim, so Harry and the two women went inside the cabin. When Harry saw all that Alex had bought, he protested profusely. "Alex I am not comfortable with this. Having a bed to sleep in is honestly more than I expected. You don't have to feed me and clothe me."

Alex cut him off. "Harry, like Piper said you are a part of our family now. And what my girlfriend wants, my girlfriend gets. So a simply thank you will suffice."

Piper spoke up. "You are welcome here as long as you wish. Also – I'm sure Alex got enough food, but don't bother cooking breakfast. The proprietor at the bed and breakfast I pointed out, her name is Lorna. If I know Alex, Lorna is already expecting you for breakfast. Whenever you get up, head up the hill and she'll stuff your belly full."

* * *

That night as a clean Harry slipped between the clean sheets of a comfortable bed, he spoke to his sister as he often did at night. "My dear Lilly. I found Joshua, Lilly. Did you know he saved the lives of a lot of little boys and girls just like him? Josh is an angel Lilly, but I'm sure you already knew that because he's with you and both of you are certainly watching over me right now. I love you sister. Tell Josh I love him, too."


	37. Will You?

After dealing with the morning breakfast and the guests who were departing, Lorna threw herself into her office chair and booted up her computer. As she opened her e-mail, the first e-mail that caught her eye was a reply from Taylor, one of the owners of Popi Artisanal Soap company. Lorna was delighted to see that a meeting was to be set up immediately. She responded setting up a meeting for the first thing Monday morning. Then she penned another e-mail to her other client so that she could make the best of the trip.

Lorna paused as she heard a noise and peeked out the window towards the main house. The man who Alex told her might be coming over for breakfast was on the front porch of Donovan Manor sweeping off the porch and rearranging the white rocking chairs. Perplexed, Lorna went to question him.

"Harry?" Harry flinched as he knew he had been caught and turned to face Lorna. "Harry what are you doing? You know you are my guest." She took the broom from his hand. "There is no reason for you to be cleaning up."

"Thank you again for the excellent breakfast Ms. Lorna. Alex and Piper have done so much for me that I feel I need to do something."

While not completely downtrodden, Harry's head was slightly hanging in a way that Lorna knew Harry needed this for his own pride. "Well thank you Harry."

His shoulders straightened up a bit. "Let me know what you need Ms. Lorna. I am handy with carpentry work and plumbing. I can help with the yard, too, if needed. Do you have any tools around here? The cabin I'm staying at needs some work. It will keep me busy."

"No sweetie. Tom does all of our repair work and he keeps his tools with him in his truck. I'll give him a ring and have him come around when he gets time. You'll like Tom. He owns part of this place, too. His family are the original owners and founders of Donovan." Lorna took the broom from Harry's hand and flicked her hands at him, shooing him off the porch towards the cabin. "Kick back and enjoy yourself."

"Do you have any bread or biscuits that are going to go stale? May I have some?" Lorna thought this was an odd request but went to the main kitchen and filled a bread bag with the older breads she had no use for.

* * *

A cacophony of yelps and howls echoed up the stairs. Alex jerked away, groaned then pulled the comforter over her head. "Pipes," she grumbled. "Why? Why must they do this?"

Piper growled and placed her feet on Alex and shoved her towards the edge of the bed. "Aaaaaallllllllllllllllllllll," she whined. "Al, go let the dogs out please?" Piper pushed again, this time a little harder.

Alex swung her legs down and caught herself right before she flew off the edge of the bed. Piper certainly had tricks to get her way. Alex pulled on a t-shirt and went down to let the dogs out. After getting her daily morning dose of doggie kisses and slobber, Alex decided she was awake and started the morning coffee. As she waited for it to brew, she looked around the kitchen.

On the floor was a lone rose petal. Picking it up, she brought it to her nose and breathed in the fragrant smell that would have represented the most perfect night of her life. She brushed the soft petal against her cheek and closed her eyes. Piper was her life, her everything. She knew Piper's troubles and fears, and Alex's primary goal at this point in life was to take those burdens off Piper.

Alex withdrew a pad of paper from a side drawer and began scribbling notes.

* * *

Lorna had texted Tom with scant details about the cabin's temporary boarder and asked him to drop by with some tools. Tom pulled up and saw a slender man kicked back, feeding ducks bits of bread as they swarmed around his feet. As Tom got out of the truck, Harry met him with an outstretched hand and firm handshake.

"Lorna said you were going to do some work on the cabin here. She asked me to loan you some tools." Harry nodded his head and listed a few of the things he noticed that needed minor repairs. "I've tried to help out down here but Alex says Toni insists it's not necessary."

"Well Alex isn't here to stop me." Harry's eyes twinkled in a way that showed he meant no animosity towards Alex. "They are letting me stay here for free, and I figure it's the least I can do. Lorna says you do all the handyman work at Donovan Manor, so I have to do something to keep my hands busy. I haven't had this much free time in years."

While Tom was curious about the newcomer, he knew not to push into the man's business. "What experience do you have?" The ducks had lost interest, so Harry offered Tom a beer and they settled into the lawn chairs. Harry told Tom bits and pieces of his background. He left out anything about his sister and nephew. He had gotten the feeling from Piper that she was a very private person and that none of these people in Donovan knew of the past she had come here to escape. He respected that.

"Well if you decide to stick around these parts, I have my own contracting company. I'm always looking for good help. If your work is as good as your ethic, I'd love to hire you on. Something to think about, okay?"

Harry's chest pumped out with pride. "I just may stick around here Mr. Tom. I just may."

* * *

Alex finished with the notes she was making and Piper had yet to make an appearance. She crept upstairs and stealthily got dressed. Piper still wasn't stirring, so Alex jotted a few lines on a blank sheet of paper to let Piper know she was running errands for the day and that they'd meet up later. Alex made sure the dogs were fed and left them outside so they wouldn't wake up Piper.

Alex's first stop was  _The Place_. Nicky and Boo were both working out front and Celeste was in the back working on the bookkeeping. "Ladies! Pour me a cup of your best brew. I have something I want to share with you."

"Boss lady!" Nicky was surprised to see Alex without Piper. Lately the two had been connected at the hip. "Where's your sidekick?"

"Sleeping. But I need you guys help" Alex pulled out her list and began to explain her plans.

Several hours later, everyone was satisfied with their plans. "This is going to be epic boss lady. Epic!"

* * *

It had been several weeks since the mystery of Harry had been solved. Harry had decided to make his home in Donovan. There was no place else really for him to go, and this was as good as any. Besides with Piper close, he felt as close to family as possible. Truth be told, Piper was happy at his decision and felt the same way.

Alex had finally talked Toni into selling the lake cabin since they very rarely used it. She finally convinced Tom to live there by accepting a small rent and exchange for landscaping work at Donovan Manor. In addition, Harry picked up odd jobs for Tom on occasion. Luckily nobody questioned his presence, even at "family dinners".

When Piper came downstairs this morning, she again found the house empty without even the dogs to greet her. Alex's behavior had grown strange lately, but Piper knew they both had a lot going on with the café, the bed and breakfast and now Harry.

This morning, the classified section of the Labyrinth newspaper was laying on the kitchen bar. "That's strange," Piper thought. We haven't advertised in this community paper since  _The Place_  got on its feet and ran on word of mouth. The paper was folded back to the personal ad section. One ad jumped out and caught Piper's eye.

**Attention Piper Chapman: Your life's journey has taken you many places and landed you here in Donovan. Today you will go on another journey, a mysterious one. On this voyage, you will be provided with lifelines for support. Your lifelines can only be used twice throughout today's expedition. Good luck.**

**Here is your first mystery to solve.**

_The mind can be a tricky thing  
Causing your brain to cling to your dreams  
Find the woman, a dog, and a Frisbee  
_ _For your next clue in today's crazy scheme_

At first Piper thought of Peep and Choc but then quickly realized that her and Alex's dogs did nothing but destroy Frisbees. A warmth spread through-out her chest as she headed towards her favorite tree at Lake Donovan. She remembered the mystery woman dreams that haunted her right after moving to Donovan.

Upon her arrival, a long haired woman was indeed tossing a Frisbee to her dog next to the dock. Piper wasn't quite sure what to do at this point. Suddenly, the golden retriever slid to a stop at Piper's feet and dropped the Frisbee at her feet, looking up at Piper expectantly. Piper picked up the Frisbee and cocked her wrist to flick the toy for the dog when she saw writing on the reverse side. Turning the disc over, she saw another clue. A sharp whistle called the dog back to her owner.

_Pleasure or business, which do you choose  
When your business dinner reveals your muse  
_ _Scallops and a bottle of wine  
_ _Find the proprietor for your next directions of this ruse_

This one was easy. Piper clearly remembered the night she learned her mystery dream woman was Alex Vause. They had met at what is now her and Alex's favorite seafood restaurant. A glance at her watch told her she should be able to catch the owner at the eating establishment. When Piper tried to get him to give her a hint as to what was going on, he just held her cheeks, smiled, and gave her a big hug. Handing her a typed card, he shooed her away from the restaurant so he could continue with lunch prep.

_The best ventures are those with a solid plans  
_ _Your crazy crew is now your clan  
_ _Where did your crazy crew first meet all together  
_ _And your dreams start to fall into place to calm the stormy weather?_

Piper fondly remembered that first lunch with the ragtag group of women who she now proudly calls her best friends. Nicky had dragged along her latest one-night stand, and look at her now – all grown up and committed with Lorna. Piper headed to her house. As she sat in the driveway, she wasn't quite sure where to go. The privacy fence blocked her view so no hints were visible from the outside.

As soon as she released the latch on the gate, her eyes landed on the balloon fluttering in the breeze. It was tied to the picnic table. She untucked the flap of the envelope and withdrew the slip of paper within.

 _Your dream_  
Your dreams came together in a big way  
Where did you first realize that you finally had  
The new beginning you had been searching for, been hoping for?

Piper sat on the table bench. While she was sure she knew where this clue was pointing her, she needed time to process. She had realized so many dreams since coming to Donovan, dreams she hadn't even realized she had. The café was the obvious answer for this clue. But one just as significant as to her successful business was Alex. She never expected to find love again even though something inside her always longed to find that for a second time. Expanding hers and Alex's success to Donovan Manor was nothing but a pipe dream come true. But now, above all else, in addition to everything, she had family – in not only Alex, the girls and the Griffiths – but also in Harry. Piper knew she was truly blessed. She knew she had to pick one dream, but she was fortunate to have had so many come true when few people realize but one of their dreams.

* * *

Piper headed to  _The Place_ for her next clue in this adventure. None of the girls were up front but she knew the tinkling bell above the door would bring at least one of them in to wait on what they thought was a customer. She made herself a cup of coffee and leaned up against the pastry case.

"Hey boss lady." Nicky came out with a tray of fresh pastries for display. "What's up?" Piper had expected a clue immediately. It had been easy up to this point.

Confused, Piper responded, "ummm not much Nic. I ummm, hey – is anyone else here?"

Nicky nodded towards the back. "Yeah Boo and Celeste are in the office."

Not sure what to do, Piper headed back to the office in hopes one of them had a clue for her. "Hey girls. How's things?"

Neither stopped working but responded, "Great Piper! You?"

"Ummm good." Piper turned to go back to the main dining room.

She heard Boo chuckling behind her as she pulled out the previous clue. She was sure it directed her to  _The Place._  But none of these women seemed to be in on the adventure. There was a number on the bottom of the clue. A lifeline. Not knowing how many clues there were, Piper was wary at using one so soon. But she pulled out her phone and dialed it anyway.

Suddenly Nicky was beside her, snatching her phone from her hands as Boo and Celeste came up laughing. "No boss lady. Don't use your life line. You are in the right place. We were just fucking with you." Boo hands Piper a slice of cheesecake.

Piper knew they had pulled one over on her, but she wasn't in the mood for cheesecake. She put it down and held out her hand. "Clue please." Celeste picked up the cheesecake and pushed it back into Piper's hands. Piper chuckled. "As good I'm sure it is, I don't want it. May I please have the clue?"

Boo motioned to the dessert. "If you want the clue, you'll have to eat."

Piper rolled her eyes but did as she was told. As soon as she cut into the tip of the cake to take a bite, the corner of a white envelope was exposed. She scraped around the cream cheese filling to expose an envelope and carefully extracted the contents in attempt to keep it from getting all sticky. By now everyone was laughing, at Piper's expense of course.

_You were clueless and so was she  
_ _We gambled on **exactly** when you would finally see  
_ _That she looked at you like you looked at her,  
_ _Head to the spot where that finally occurred_

"Awwwwww, she's blushing," Nicky teased. "Look at how cute she is." Nicky reached over and pinched Piper's cheeks. "Go on now. The day's not getting any shorter."

"Thanks guys." Piper grabbed a few sugar cookies and headed towards Kristie and Toni's old cabin where Harry now lived.

* * *

Not wanting to startle him, Piper watched Harry work on his car a few minutes. "Hey Harry." He jumped and turned to face her.

"Hi Piper. I wondered when you'd get here."

Piper snickered. "Yeah, it seems someone has me going on a wild goose chase today."

"Oh I don't think it's a wild goose chase Piper. I think the words you are looking for are scavenger hunt. And if I were a betting man, I'd venture to say that you will like what you find at the end."

"Oh really Harry. Tell me more."

It was Harry's time to chortle. "Oh no Piper, you aren't getting anything out of me. Nothing except this." He wiped the grease from his hands and handed her a compass that had a key dangling off of it.

"Where's the note?"

"No note." Harry turned and went back to work on his car.

"Harry?"

"Use your brain Piper. Use your brain. You got this far."

Piper sat on the steps of the cabin and pondered the compass. She was clueless. "Harry?"

He sniggered. "If you need help Piper, it will cost you a lifeline. But I think you are smart enough to figure it out on your own. Don't ask me again."

Piper thought a little longer and felt herself getting frustrated. "Harry?"

Harry didn't stop working as he spoke. "This leaves you with one lifeline. What are you holding?"

"A compass."

"What does that do?"

"Tells you what direction you are going in."

"What is tied to it?"

"A key?"

"Yes. Now that you have the key, what direction do you need to go?"

A light bulb went off in Piper's head. "Doh!" She oriented herself so that the compass was pointing due west and began walking.

"Good job Piper. I knew you could do it."

This scavenger hunt took Piper the better part of the day. The Key West clue took her to dog collars representing Peep and Choc which she and Alex had gotten each other for Christmas. The collars had a clue that lead her to the Griffith's house where many discussions and negotiations had been held over the purchase of Donovan Manor.

Finally, Piper was lead to the bed and breakfast itself. However, the last clue did nothing but guide her to the main building. The scavenger hunt had basically taken her on a trip down memory lane of hers and Alex's growing relationship. Piper was touched at how much work Alex must have put into this. This explains her odd behavior as of late.

There were no cars in the lot, so she assumed that any guests were out for the evening. She entered the house, made her way to the main sitting area. There, she found her prize. Alex. The couches, chairs, and table were covered in roses and candles. Alex was dressed in a slim fitting, blue dress with flats, her hair pulled back slightly from her face. Even though the lights were dim, Piper could see that Alex was beaming in the candle light.

"Hey Al."

"Hey Pipes. You made it."

Piper nodded. "I feel under dressed." She motioned to Alex. "You look beautiful." She approached Alex for a light kiss.

"This can wait if you want to go home and change." The expression on Alex's face was teasing. Piper shook her head. "Good because I lied. This can't wait. I've waited long enough." She motioned for Piper to sit in the overstuffed chair. Alex pulled up another chair in front of Piper.

Alex took a deep breath. "I have a lot to say. I hope you are ready to listen." Piper nodded. Alex grasped both of Piper's hands in her own and began to talk. "When I first laid eyes on you in that seafood restaurant, I knew I was in trouble. As we began our journey to get  _The Place_  established, I had to quell my attraction so as to not interfere with work. Eventually we both figured out it was stupid to fight our feelings." Piper smiled and nodded.

"You certainly had a lot of demons when you moved here, and I hope that I have helped you get past those demons. We have been through some rough times, yet here we are. On the other side, still together."

Alex leaned forward until her forehead touched Piper's. "I didn't realize that your demons still had a small hold on you until Nicky was in the hospital. You were terrified in a way I had never seen. And then when Harry first showed up, Piper, my heart was breaking for you." Alex's voice was at a whisper.

"You are such a wonderful, amazing woman Piper. You should never fear for anything being taken from you ever again. I love you like I have never loved anyone before. I want you in my life. Now. And for always."

Tears were beginning to form in the corners of Piper's eyes and Alex shifted awkwardly to one side and lowered one hand to the floor. "I love you, too, Alex. Always."

Alex brought up her hand which now had a black velvet box nestled in it. She opened the box to display the ring she had purchased so many weeks ago. "Piper Elizabeth Chapman, will you marry me?"


End file.
